Kenya: 1 in 10 Kenyan Learners Had Schooling Disrupted By Climate Hazards in 2025 - Unicef

What the report says

UNICEF says climate hazards disrupted the schooling of about 1.9 million Kenyan learners in 2025, a figure that works out to roughly one in 10 students from pre-primary through secondary level. The report, cited by Capital FM and distributed via AllAfrica, identifies drought as the main hazard affecting education in Kenya.

The article says Kenya had about 18.4 million learners across pre-primary, primary, junior secondary and secondary schools in 2025, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. UNICEF’s broader findings indicate that more than 171 million students in 106 countries and territories faced climate-related school disruption last year, with most of those children living in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said climate events do not just interrupt lessons but can damage schools, displace families and push vulnerable children out of class, especially girls. The report also notes that storms, floods and heatwaves were major drivers globally, while longer-term crises such as drought are harder to measure, meaning the estimates may be conservative.

The agency says climate-related disruption can worsen absenteeism and dropout risks, particularly where drought affects livelihoods, food security and access to water. UNICEF is urging governments to build climate resilience into education planning, improve school infrastructure and strengthen continuity plans for learning during emergencies.