UNICEF Report Reveals Climate Hazards Disrupted Education for 171 Million Students in 2025

According to a new report by UNICEF, one in ten students globally from pre-primary to upper secondary had their education interrupted by climate hazards last year. Analyzing data from 106 countries and territories, the report released on Thursday stated that more than 171 million students were affected worldwide, with girls bearing a disproportionate impact.

The study, titled Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2025, found that extreme weather events such as storms, floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires severely impacted education through facility damage, school closures, decreased attendance, reduced teaching time, and a heightened risk of school dropouts.

“For millions of children, climate hazards do not just disrupt classes; they also destroy their schools, uproot their families and deprive the most vulnerable,” noted UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

The UN agency reported that 75 percent of the affected children reside in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where educational infrastructure often lacks adequate resources to sustain learning during environmental emergencies. The report emphasized the distinct risks faced by girls, pointing out that insecurity, unsafe learning environments, and child marriage significantly increase their likelihood of dropping out.

“Damage to schools and sanitation facilities, displacement and lost family income can place additional caregiving and water-collection responsibilities on girls,” the report explained, adding that these pressures make returning to class much more difficult once schools reopen.

Among the primary drivers of disruption in 2025, storms affected 109 million students globally, while floods impacted at least 70 million, and heatwaves disrupted the learning of roughly 50 million children.

While the overall figures for 2025 decreased compared to the previous year—when UNICEF reported nearly 250 million children affected—the agency noted a change in methodology, shifting its analysis to rely on information from local media and aid agencies rather than official government figures.

UNICEF also projected severe long-term economic consequences, estimating that inaction could result in at least $200bn in lost lifetime earnings specifically for students whose education was disrupted by climate-related hazards in 2025. In response, the agency called on governments and international partners to increase investments in climate-resilient educational facilities.