In 2024, climate disasters shattered educational systems worldwide. A staggering 242 million students across 85 countries faced school disruptions, reports UNICEF.
Heatwaves, floods, and storms wreaked havoc on classrooms, forcing closures and shortening timetables. These crises deepened an already severe global learning gap.
HEATWAVES: THE WORST CULPRIT
Heatwaves caused the most school closures in 2024. In April alone, 118 million students missed classes due to extreme heat.
South Asia endured record-breaking heat, with temperatures soaring to 47°C. In Bangladesh and the Philippines, schools shut down entirely.
Climate change has led to Cambodia shortening school hours to shield students from unbearable temperatures. Experts warned of health risks like heatstroke among vulnerable children.
SEPTEMBER’S STORMS HIT HARD
September marked the peak of school closures. It’s a critical academic month for many countries, yet 16 nations suspended classes due to disasters.
Typhoon Yagi devastated East Asia, affecting 16 million students. Torrential rains flooded cities, making travel to schools impossible.
In Africa, El Niño drove heavy rains in East Africa and severe droughts in the south. Both disrupted millions of lives and education.
FRAGILE SYSTEMS AMPLIFY THE CRISIS
Many schools couldn’t withstand these climate challenges. Floods destroyed infrastructure, damaged supplies, and made classrooms unsafe for children.
In Afghanistan, flash floods wiped out over 110 schools in May. Thousands of children lost access to education overnight.
Countries already struggling with overcrowded classrooms and undertrained teachers faced even greater difficulties. Climate disasters only widened the learning gap.
GIRLS FACE GREATER RISKS
Girls bore the brunt of these challenges. School closures put them at risk of child marriage, labor, and gender-based violence.
Many girls never return to classrooms after prolonged disruptions. This setback threatens decades of progress in gender equality in education, exacerbated by the climate crisis.
GLOBAL IMPACT: NO COUNTRY IS IMMUNE
While low-income nations faced the harshest blows, wealthier countries weren’t spared. Italy saw heavy rains in September, affecting 900,000 students.
Spain experienced similar disruptions in October. Floods forced 13,000 children out of classrooms, showing the universal threat of climate change.
UNICEF’S CLIMATE-RESILIENT EFFORTS
UNICEF is fighting back by building climate-resilient schools. In Mozambique, repeated cyclones have impacted 150,000 students in recent months.
To protect education, UNICEF constructed over 1,150 resilient classrooms across nearly 230 schools. These structures withstand severe weather better, thus addressing climate impacts.
URGENT NEED FOR ACTION
UNICEF calls on world leaders to prioritize children in climate policies. Education systems need to adapt to a warming planet.
Key steps include:
- Integrating education into climate adaptation plans.
- Investing in disaster-resilient classrooms and safe routes to school.
- Funding climate-smart educational solutions.
THE ROAD AHEAD: RISING RISKS
Future projections paint a grim picture. By 2050, eight times as many children could face extreme heatwaves compared to the early 2000s.
Floods will also triple, displacing students and damaging schools. Without action, millions more children will lose access to education due to climate impacts.
