A United Nations report says more than 250 million children of primary school age cannot read or write. They could also not do basic maths. The report said 120 million children have spent little or no time in school. The researchers said countries lose money when children do not go to school. Each year, governments lose up to $130 billion. A U.N. spokeswoman said there was a global "learning crisis". This is because in a third of countries, 75 per cent of primary school teachers do not have enough training. The spokeswoman said: "The issue now is to put the focus on quality."

Most children not going to school are girls. Developing countries can get richer if they send girls to school – up to 25 per cent richer in 40 years. Almost two-thirds (66%) of girls in Arab countries and sub-Saharan Africa may never go to school. In Yemen, just 36 per cent of girls are literate. The Reuters news agency said: "If current trends continue, the poorest part of the young female population in developing countries won't achieve literacy until 2072" The good news is that in Laos, Rwanda and Vietnam, the number of children not going to school fell by 85 per cent in the last five years.