Languages in education
ISSARET YATSOMBOON/Shutterstock.com
ISSARET YATSOMBOON/Shutterstock.com

Languages in education

UNESCO believes everyone has the right to learn in their own language and that it is an important means to improving learning, learning outcomes and socio-emotional development. However, globally 40 % of the population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. Cultural and linguistic diversity also play a key role in sustainable societies and help build peace, tolerance and respect for difference.  

International Mother Language Day
Indigenous languages decade 2022-2032

Key figures

About 6,700
languages

are spoken around the world today

40 %
of the world’s population

cannot access education in a language they speak or understand

6 years
of mother-tongue

instruction is needed to reduce learning gaps for minority language speakers

40 %
of the estimated 6,700 languages

spoken in 2016 were in danger of disappearing

Language acquisition in early years of childhood: the role of family and pre-primary education: thematic report
2023
0000387215
Early-exit language transitioning programming: the rationale, the benefits and the limitations; background paper
2023
UNESCO
0000384816
Teaching and learning indigenous languages: inspiring practices from the UNESCO Associated Schools Network
UNESCO
2022
UNESCO
0000383976
International Mother Language Day 2022: technology-enabled multilingual education: challenges and opportunities
UNESCO
2022
UNESCO
0000380642
Ensuring inclusive education for ethnolinguistic minority children in the COVID-19 era: guidance note
UNESCO Bangkok Office
2021
Support for this publication was provided by the Global Partnership for Education
0000375504
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