A region of renowned civilizations and contribution to humanity, the Arab region has become one of paradoxes in recent times: Young, highly educated, dynamic nations, on the one hand, and multiple protracted armed conflicts, high levels of youth unemployment, volatile and vulnerable states of existence, and extreme inequalities and disparities, on the other. While the region indeed has made tremendous achievements toward development goals, many countries have unfortunately seen their developmental gains significantly reversed, primarily due to the protracted nature of multiple conflicts, while others struggle to improve the quality of education and achieve nationally set goals. Available evidence shows that national education systems face significant challenges. Children, youth, and adults in the region are facing unprecedented challenges in terms of learning, employment, and social cohesion. More than 20 million Arab children are out of school or at risk of dropping out. This is coupled with a growing number
