Education systems ill-prepared to withstand impacts of climate change, report

Many education systems across the world are ill-prepared to withstand and adapt to the impacts of climate change, a report has revealed.

Dubbed ‘Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2024,’ the report by UNICEF indicates that climate-centered investments in education remain critically low, despite the clear and growing need for resilient infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

The report was released today coinciding with the International Day of Education.

The report reveals a troubling gap in global data collection on school disruptions caused by climate hazards, making it harder to develop targeted solutions and policies.

In the report, UNICEF said climate-related disasters such as heatwaves, cyclones, floods, and storms severely disrupted the education of nearly 250 million children worldwide in 2024.

READ: The sorry state of schools as floods leave trail of destruction

These hazards were the leading causes of school closures and timetable interruptions, highlighting the vulnerability of education systems to the growing impacts of climate change.

The report examines the scope of climate-related disruptions to education from pre-primary to upper secondary levels, shedding light on the scale of the problem and its implications for children’s learning and well-being.

In Kenya, more than 2 million learners faced significant setbacks as heavy rains and widespread flooding during the March to May long rain season wreaked havoc across the country.

Raging floodwaters damaged critical school infrastructure, including classrooms, sanitation facilities and playgrounds, while also destroying teaching and learning materials.

According to the report many of the affected children were forced to stay at home for weeks, worsening educational inequalities in already vulnerable communities.

For instance, a spot check by The Standard then established that the situation was dire in counties like Kisumu, where schools such as Odienya, Oseth and Nyamurundu Primary were completely submerged.

Nduru Primary had to accommodate an additional 1,000 displaced students, leading to overcrowding and resource strain.

UNICEF said that in the said period, at least 62 schools were submerged or destroyed, leaving over 15,000 children without a learning environment. This forced repeated postponements of school reopening dates as the country prioritised safety.

Globally, the report highlights that low- and lower-middle-income countries were the hardest hit, with almost 74 per cent of the affected students living in these regions.

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However, no part of the world was spared. For instance, torrential rains in Italy in September forced over 900,000 students to miss school, while devastating floods in Spain in October caused the suspension of classes for 13,000 children.

In response to these challenges, UNICEF and other organizations have stepped in to provide immediate support. In Kenya, temporary learning spaces, educational materials and psychological support have been offered to children affected by the flooding.

However, the scale of the disaster underscores the need for long-term, coordinated efforts to restore and improve educational facilities.

Beyond the immediate loss of classroom time, such disruptions have long-term consequences for children’s futures.

Prolonged school closures reduce learning opportunities, increase dropout rates and deepen existing inequalities. For girls, the risks are particularly severe, as they often face greater barriers to returning to school after extended absences.

UNICEF called for urgent action to ensure that education systems are prioritized in climate adaptation and resilience planning.

This includes increasing funding for climate-resilient school infrastructure, integrating climate education into curricula, and establishing robust systems for tracking and addressing school disruptions caused by natural disasters.

“Every child deserves access to education, even in the face of a changing climate. We must act now to build education systems that can withstand the challenges of the future,” the report said.