Africa: Climate Hazards Disrupted Schooling for 171m Students in 2025 - - Unicef

What the report says

UNICEF says climate hazards disrupted schooling for more than 171 million students worldwide in 2025, or roughly one in 10 children of pre-primary to upper-secondary age. The findings come from a new analysis titled Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2025, which reviewed data from 106 countries and territories. According to the report, disruptions included school closures, suspended classes, damaged buildings, shifts to remote learning, shorter instructional time and lower attendance.

The agency said storms were the leading cause, affecting 109 million students, followed by floods at 70 million and heatwaves at about 50 million. The impact was concentrated in lower-income countries, where education systems often have less capacity to absorb climate shocks. UNICEF also said 40 countries faced more than one round of disruption during the year. Examples cited in the report include Pakistan, where monsoon floods delayed the return to school for more than 28 million students, and Egypt, where a dust storm briefly closed schools nationwide in April.

UNICEF warned that repeated disruption can lead to learning loss, higher dropout risk and longer-term economic costs. It said girls may be especially affected when schools close or are damaged, because displacement, household pressures and losses to school services can make it harder for them to return. The agency is urging governments and partners to invest in climate-resilient school buildings, stronger financing and better education data systems to prepare for future shocks. The report was released in New York and distributed through Capital FM and AllAfrica.