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Climate Hazards Disrupt Education for 1 in 10 Students Globally, UNICEF Reports
Confirmed
In Short: One in 10 students from pre-primary to upper secondary globally had their education interrupted by climate hazards last year, according to a new report by UNICEF.
One in 10 students from pre-primary to upper secondary globally had their education interrupted by climate hazards last year, according to a new report by UNICEF, affecting more than 171 million students worldwide, with girls disproportionately impacted.
The report, titled 'Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2025,' found that storms, floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires disrupted education through school closures, damaged facilities, reduced teaching time, lower attendance, and an increased risk of dropping out.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated, 'For millions of children, climate hazards do not just disrupt classes; they also destroy their schools, uproot their families, and deprive the most vulnerable.
The analysis showed that 75 percent of the affected children live in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where education systems often lack the resources needed to maintain learning during climate emergencies. Storms were the leading cause of climate-related school disruptions, affecting 109 million students worldwide.
What's confirmed
- “For millions of children, climate hazards do not just disrupt classes; they also destroy their schools, uproot their families and deprive the most vulnerable,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
- Storms were the leading cause of climate-related school disruptions in 2025, affecting 109 million students worldwide, while floods affected at least 70 million and heatwaves disrupted the schooling of approximately 50 million children, according to the analysis.
What's still developing
- UNICEF urged governments and their partners to spend more on building new educational facilities to withstand climate and environmental hazards.
- “Damage to schools and sanitation facilities, displacement and lost family income can place additional caregiving and water-collection responsibilities on girls,” it added.
- But the agency also estimates that there could be some long-term consequences of these disasters too, stating that inaction could result in at least $200bn in lost lifetime earnings among students whose schooling was disrupted by climate-related hazards in 2025 alone.
- “My school is right next to a creek, and when there is flooding, the water rises and flows into the school,” said 16-year-old Taudibura Garo from Papua New Guinea.
- UNICEF said these pressures can also increase the risk of child marriage, making it more difficult for girls to return to school after institutions reopen.