Highlights

Climate shocks are disrupting children’s education, putting their learning and their futures at risk.

A new UNICEF analysis reveals that at least 242 million students in 85 countries or territories had their schooling disrupted by extreme climate events including heatwaves, tropical cyclones, storms, floods and droughts in 2024, exacerbating an existing learning crisis.

The snapshot highlights 10 key findings:

1. Globally, at least 242 million students – from pre-primary to upper secondary education – have experienced school disruptions due to climate events in 2024.
2. At least 1 in 7 students had their schooling disrupted due to climate hazards in 2024.
3. In 2024, 85 countries or territories saw their schools affected by climate-related hazards, with 23 countries experiencing multiple rounds of school closures.
4. At least 20 countries had nationwide school disruptions in 2024 due to climate-induced disasters. Heatwaves, tropical cyclones, storms, and floods– all exacerbated by climate change – were causing nationwide school closures in 2024.
5. 74 per cent of the 242 million affected students are in low- and lower-middle-income countries, with an average Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) score of 7 out of 10.
6. South Asia was the most affected region in 2024 with 128 million students affected by climate-related school disruptions. East Asia and the Pacific region followed, impacting 50 million students.
7. In 2024, heatwaves were the most significant climate hazard worldwide to disrupt schooling, affecting an estimated 171 million students.
8. April saw the highest global climate-related school disruptions, with heatwave as the leading hazard affecting at least 118 million children in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, the Philippines, and Thailand.
9. September recorded the most frequent climate-related school disruptions. At a time of year when schools reopen in many parts of the world, at least 18 countries suspended classes. Typhoon Yagi affected 16 million children in East Asia and the Pacific, making it the top hazard in September.
10. In Africa, while over 107 million children are already out of school, climate-related disruptions in 2024 have put an additional 20 million children at risk of dropping out.