All over the African continent, from primary classrooms to secondary schools, more children are staying in school, finishing their studies and building stronger futures.
UNESCO's Spotlight report reflects this progress — bringing together real stories and insights from primary schools across countries like Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco and Zimbabwe.
The report, released ahead of International Day of Education on January 24, also shows how improved school leadership supports teachers to create better spaces for children to learn and grow. Tangible differences can be seen in places like Nigeria and Rwanda.
Across Africa, more countries are embracing learning in local languagesand the impact is clear. When children learn in a language they understand, confidence grows, reading improves and learning lasts.
Despite this progress, UNESCO says while many children are in school, they are not learning at the level they should. Only a small share of pupils leave primary school with the essential reading and mathematics skills they need.