UNICEF Reports 250 Million Children Affected by Extreme Weather Interrupting Education

According to UNICEF, nearly 250 million children missed school last year due to extreme weather, affecting one in seven school-aged children worldwide. Heatwaves, floods, and cyclones were the primary culprits, with low-income nations facing the harshest impacts. The report highlights significant interruptions in education, particularly in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizing the need for improved resilience against climate change.

A recent UNICEF report indicates that nearly 250 million children globally missed school last year due to extreme weather conditions such as heatwaves, floods, and cyclones. This interruption affected one in seven children attending school across 85 countries. The situation is particularly dire in low-income nations in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, which experienced significant losses of educational infrastructure because of destructive weather events.

The report highlights that southern Europe was not immune to these challenges; for instance, severe rains in Italy resulted in over 900,000 children missing school. Additionally, catastrophic flooding in Spain led to widespread class cancellations. While various regions suffered from different climate-related issues, heatwaves emerged as the most prevalent weather hazard affecting schools in 2024.

In April alone, more than 118 million children were affected as a brutal heatwave swept across parts of the Middle East and Asia, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. UNICEF’s Executive Director Catherine Russell underscored that children are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather impacts, being physiologically less equipped to handle high temperatures compared to adults.

Middle- and low-income countries bore the brunt of these disruptions, with 74% of the affected children residing in these regions. For example, flooding destroyed over 400 schools in Pakistan, while Afghanistan experienced heatwaves followed by flooding that damaged over 110 schools in May. The extended drought conditions in southern Africa, worsened by the El Niño phenomenon, further threaten the educational prospects of millions.

The situation remains critical, as seen in Mayotte, a French territory ravaged by Cyclone Chido in December, followed by Tropical Storm Dikeledi, which led to children being out of school for six weeks. Mozambique also suffered substantial educational setbacks as Cyclone Chido wiped out over 330 schools in an already disadvantaged area.

UNICEF warned that global education systems are inadequately prepared to cope with the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, hindering the educational advancement of vulnerable populations.

The alarming report from UNICEF sheds light on the intersection of climate change and education. As climate-related disasters escalate worldwide, millions of children are at risk of losing access to education. This situation disproportionately affects children in low-income countries, revealing a critical need for improved resilience in educational infrastructures. Understanding the impacts of extreme weather on schooling is crucial for policymakers and global leaders to address the growing educational crises linked to climate change.

In summary, UNICEF’s report reveals the profound impact of extreme weather on children’s education, with nearly 250 million affected globally in the past year. The report emphasizes the vulnerability of children, particularly in low-income regions, and notes the inadequacy of current education systems to withstand climate-related disruptions. It underscores the urgent need for sustained efforts to protect educational access and infrastructure from the increasing threat of climate change.

Original Source: www.nbcphiladelphia.com