“The terrorists know this. That is why they keep attacking schools, like in Garissa, Kenya and Peshawar, Pakistan. They target girls with books, like Malala Yousafzai and her friends as well as the girls in Chibok, Nigeria,” Ban told the 1,500 participants gathered at the WEF.

“I urge action to focus on girls and women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities and children living in conflict-affected areas, rural areas and urban slums,” Ban added.

At a press conference later in the day, Ban announced that he will visit an industrial complex in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday, saying that he hoped the rare trip “will provide positive impetus to further develop it and expand to other areas” to promote inter-Korean relations.

“When I was a child in wartime Korea, we were constantly told to study hard. That was the only way to invest in our future – and it worked,” Ban said back at the Education Forum.

Studies show that one dollar invested in education can generate up to $15 in economic gain, he said. If all students in low-income countries learned basic reading skills, more than 170 million people could be lifted out of poverty.

The Declaration on Education 2030, the expected outcome of the Forum, aims to mobilize countries to implement the new agenda, and propose ways for its financing.