NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (HRNW) — More than 171 million students around the world had their education disrupted by climate-related hazards in 2025, according to a new analysis released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), highlighting the growing threat that extreme weather poses to children’s right to education.
UNICEF’s new analysis, Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2025, examined information from 106 countries and territories. It found that storms, floods, heatwaves, droughts and wildfires caused school closures, damaged education facilities, shortened instructional time and increased the risk of children dropping out.
Storms were the most widespread disruption, affecting approximately 109 million students globally, while floods affected at least 70 million. Heatwaves disrupted schooling for an estimated 50 million children.
UNICEF said children in low- and lower-middle-income countries were disproportionately affected, with approximately three-quarters of students experiencing climate-related education disruption living in those countries.
The consequences extend beyond missed lessons. Damage to schools, displacement, loss of household income and disruptions to sanitation can place additional burdens on children, particularly girls. UNICEF warned that these pressures can increase risks including child marriage and permanent withdrawal from education.
Pakistan was among the countries highlighted in the analysis. Severe monsoon flooding disrupted the return to school for more than 28 million students, demonstrating the scale at which climate emergencies can interfere with education systems.
UNICEF is urging governments and partners to strengthen climate-resilient school infrastructure, improve emergency education planning, maintain learning continuity during disasters and integrate climate education into school curricula.
The agency warned that failure to protect education from climate shocks could produce long-term economic consequences, including significant losses in lifetime earnings for affected students.
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This article is prepared for human-rights news and public-awareness purposes. Information is based on statements, reports and publicly available material from the cited organizations. HRNW does not independently endorse every allegation or assessment contained in external reports.
