ISLAMABAD: Young people remain under-represented in decision-making processes that directly affect their lives, particularly in education, according to a new Unesco report released Friday on the eve of International Day of Education.
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The Global Education Monitoring Report 2026, titled “Lead with Youth”, highlighted that while young people are often politically active, they rarely have formal roles in shaping policies that impact their present and future. The report noted that only one in three countries has established formal youth or student bodies to participate in education policymaking.
On this International #EducationDay, UNESCO celebrates youth.
We have a collective responsibility to empower young people through education — ensuring equitable access for all.
Because education systems are strongest when shaped with those they serve, youth must be included as… pic.twitter.com/lUCk4qxofl
— UNESCO 🏛️ #Education #Sciences #Culture 🇺🇳 (@UNESCO) January 24, 2026
“Stronger youth engagement requires formal mechanisms, a seat at decision-making tables, representative participation, institutional support, and the willingness of authorities to act on feedback,” the report said. It added that satisfaction with engagement is particularly low among school students, with only 20 per cent reporting that they felt their contributions were genuinely valued. The report stressed that satisfaction rises when students are given defined roles and responsibilities in policy reform.
The findings come as global leaders emphasise the importance of skills and education for national development. In a message marking the day, President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan’s future depends on its youth and stressed that education should nurture curiosity, competence, character, and critical thinking. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government was focusing on higher education and skills development programmes to empower young people and strengthen the country’s education system.
To mark International Day of Education, Unesco and Pakistan’s Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training hosted an event at Islamabad Model College for Girls under the theme “The Power of Youth in Co-creating Education”. Minister of State for Education Wajiha Qamar described education as the “most powerful investment a country can make,” while Unesco representative Fuad Pashayev stressed that young people are “not just the future” but also the present.
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Separately, the World Bank noted that it is the largest financier of education in developing countries, supporting 324 million students through education programmes in 81 nations.