The problem becomes clearer when we look at countries that have built stronger learning systems. The latest completed OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), conducted in 2022, placed Japan among the world's highest-performing education systems in mathematics, reading and science. It requires sustained investment, strong teacher development, clear learning outcomes and a system that continuously evaluates whether students are actually learning. UNICEF also notes that nearly 90% of education expenditure is absorbed by recurrent costs, leaving limited fiscal space for infrastructure, teacher development, learning materials and strengthening the education system. This is precisely the kind of gap modern education systems are increasingly trying to address.