Being in school does not guarantee that a child receives high-quality education. In fact, in many countries, the data shows that children learn very little. Globally, four in ten students do not meet minimum proficiency levels in reading by the end of primary (SDG 4 Benchmark Indicator 4.1.1). Even fewer achieve basic skills in mathematics, with less than half (44%) meeting minimum proficiency levels at the end of primary.

The proportion of global GDP invested in R&D stands at 1.93% in 2021. While Europe and North America, and Eastern and South-Eastern Asia spend 2.59% and 2.33% of GDP on R&D respectively, representing the highest level across the regions, most of the developing regions fall short of the world average, spending less than 1% of GDP on R&D. For instance, it ranges from 0.33% in Sub-Saharan Africa to 0.98% Northern Africa and Western Asia.

The ability the read and write is fundamental to personal enrichment and to participate fully in economic and social life. Yet over one in ten adults – over three quarters of a billion people - are unable to understand a simple text.