New York, Sept. 11 (SANA)More than 171 million students worldwide experienced disruptions to their education in 2025 due to climate-related hazards, UNICEF said Friday, warning that extreme weather is increasingly threatening children’s access to learning.According to a UNICEF report published on the United Nations website, climate-related disruptions affected about one in 10 students from pre-primary through secondary education.The impact went beyond school closures, including damage to educational facilities, reduced teaching hours, lower attendance, increased reliance on remote learning and higher risks of students dropping out.

UNICEF data showed that storms were the biggest climate-related cause of education disruptions in 2025, affecting 109 million students, followed by floods and heatwaves.The organization said climate impacts are not limited to school infrastructure but also affect children’s ability to reach schools and continue their education regularly.

Around three-quarters of affected children live in low-income or lower-middle-income countries, where limited resources make it harder for education systems to respond to climate-related emergencies.UNICEF cited Pakistan, where monsoon floods delayed the return of more than 28 million students to schools in August 2025, and Egypt, where school closures due to the Khamaseen winds in April 2025 affected more than 28 million students.

UNICEF warned that climate-related learning losses could have lasting economic consequences, estimating that students affected by disruptions in 2025 could lose at least $200 billion in future lifetime earnings if learning gaps are not addressed.The organization called on governments to invest in climate-resilient education infrastructure, strengthen emergency preparedness and provide alternatives that allow children to continue learning when schools are inaccessible.The warning comes amid growing concerns over extreme weather events. The World Meteorological Organization said in March 2026 that the years from 2015 to 2025 were the warmest period on record, with 2025 among the hottest years since measurements began.FJ/HH