Education remains the most critical means to accelerate societal progress, strengthen social cohesion and foster individual growth – but the right to education stands at a critical juncture.This report reviews 25 years of progress on the right to education, highlighting major gains such as near universal access to primary education, expansion of formal learning from early childhood through to higher education, and the growing recognition of lifelong learning as a cornerstone of human and social development. At the same time, radical shifts in the ways that we live, work and learn, have placed education systems under unprecedented pressure to adapt in a remarkably short period of time. The report explores the impact of digitalization, conflict, migration and demographic change on the right to education, in particular for vulnerable groups. It underscores the urgent need for renewed global commitments to strengthen the legal and institutional foundations of the right to education, close persistent equity gaps, and adapt to emerging demographic, technological, and societal realities. Reinforcing these dimensions is essential to ensure that education remains both a protective and transformative force for all.
