A child who returns to a classroom after displacement still needs a route through the years that follow. Education has to remain available as that child grows older and reaches the end of a school stage. Each transition asks something more of the systems offering a place.
UNHCR’s 2026 education report puts the number of school-aged refugee children out of school in 2025 at 5.8 million. It reports gross enrolment of 65% at primary level and 32% at secondary level. These figures describe access at different education levels; they do not follow a single group of children through school. The population covered is refugees, which is narrower than all children affected by displacement. UNHCR’s report announcement.
Plan for the next school stage
For education planners, that large difference between primary and secondary access makes progression an urgent design question. A programme should be able to explain where a learner can study after completing its final class. Families need that information early enough to act on it.
Consider a hypothetical learner who arrives with an interrupted school record. Placing them by age alone leaves unanswered questions about their prior learning. Requiring complete paperwork before considering any placement creates another obstacle. A workable process would give the learner a way to demonstrate what they know and identify the support needed to enter an appropriate class.
The same care belongs at the next transition. Where a receiving school uses a different language, preparation needs time. Where earlier study requires recognition, someone must take responsibility for resolving it. A child should have a named person to approach when an administrative decision puts their next term at risk.
These are proposals for continuity. Their value would need to be checked through whether learners secure places and can continue learning once they arrive.
Include host schools in the plan
UNHCR calls for investment in national education systems serving refugees and host communities. Its report also warns that funding cuts threaten access. UNHCR’s 2026 announcement.
That approach requires planners to understand the receiving school’s capacity. An enrolment commitment needs a corresponding budget, with enough teaching time for the class being admitted. Support for language learning must fit into the school day. If a programme ends after a year, its plan should identify who carries those responsibilities forward.
Review should continue beyond the first registration. Schools could examine what happens when learners approach an examination or apply for their next course. Where progress stops, a discussion with the learner can reveal the decision that needs attention. Giving families a clear route to challenge that decision would make continuity part of the service they can expect.