At least one in seven students globally faced disruptions to their education due to climate hazards in 2024, according to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The report highlights that extreme weather events, particularly heatwaves, were the leading cause of these disruptions, affecting 171 million students worldwide.
April emerged as the peak month for climate-related school disruptions, with heatwaves impacting at least 118 million children across India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Thailand. India, notably, reported significant numbers, with over 54 million students affected by heatwaves in 2024 alone.
UNICEF emphasised India’s vulnerability to climate change, ranking 26th out of 163 countries in its 2021 Children’s Climate Risk Index. Fast-onset hazards like floods, landslides, and cyclones have repeatedly damaged schools, while long-term stressors such as extreme heat and air pollution are adversely affecting children’s health, attendance, and learning outcomes.
To address these challenges, the Indian government has incorporated climate change awareness into the National Curriculum Framework. UNICEF is also collaborating with state governments to implement Comprehensive School Safety Programmes (CSSP) in 12 states. These initiatives aim to create safe learning environments and empower children as proactive change-makers.
The report revealed that, globally, 242 million students across pre-primary to upper-secondary levels experienced climate-related school disruptions in 2024. A staggering 74% of these students were in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where climate vulnerability is highest. South Asia was the most impacted region, with 128 million students affected, followed by East Asia and the Pacific, which saw disruptions for 50 million children.
September marked the highest frequency of school closures, with 18 countries suspending classes due to typhoons, storms, and floods. In Africa, where 107 million children are already out of school, climate-related disruptions risked pushing an additional 20 million students into dropout scenarios.
