Adult literacy
87.7%
of the world's adults can read and write (2024). There are still 739 million who cannot.
▲ In 1990 it was 74.6%
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Spaghetti Scenarios · Transcendence trajectory
Education and human development
That every person can learn, understand the world and develop their potential. It is the foundation of the other trajectories: without education there is no science, cooperation or resilience.
Almost 9 out of 10 adults can read. But 7 out of 10 ten-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries cannot understand a simple text.
Out of school
273 M
children and young people do not go to school (2024).
▼ Fell 33% until 2015; since then it has risen 3%
Learning poverty
70%
of ten-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text (2022).
▼ Before the pandemic it was 57%
Human development
0.756
is the global Human Development Index (2023), on a scale from 0 to 1.
■ The smallest gain since 1990 (excluding crisis years)
Learning to read: the world over forty years
Percentage of people who can read and write. Move the slider to see each year.
- Young people aged 15 to 2493.1%in 2024
- Adults (15 and older)87.7%in 2024
The axis starts at 50% so the change is visible.
Learning poverty
70 out of 100 ten-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text. Before the pandemic it was 57.
Finishing school
Percentage of young people who complete each level (2024). The white mark is where the world was in 2000.
In 2000: 77%
In 2000: 60%
In 2000: 37%. At the current pace, reaching 95% would take about 80 years.
Global Human Development Index
Combines health, education and income on a scale from 0 to 1.
- Global HDI0.756in 2023
No progress in 2020 and 2021: the pandemic years.
Who is out of school (2024)
79 Mof primary school age
64 Mof lower secondary age
130 Mof upper secondary age
273 Min total
Semiversal education: where we stand today
0%not yet started
100%goal
Education and human development
- Probability
- Uncertain
- Timeframe
- Not available
- Confidence
- Medium
Signals to watch
Proposed by the research: the profile does not define its signals yet.
- Adult literacy
- Out of school
- Learning poverty
- Human development
Possible human action
Not available yet for this scenario.