![ENG vs PAK [WATCH]: Josh Tongue breaks off-stump with a stunning yorker to dismiss Mohammad Imran Randhawa on Day 1 of Edgbaston Test](https://i1.wp.com/crickettimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Josh-Tongue-tears-out-off-stump-with-a-stunning-yorker-to-dismiss-Mohammad-Imran-Randhawa-on-Day-1-of-Edgbaston-Test.webp?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "ENG vs PAK [WATCH]: Josh Tongue breaks off-stump with a stunning yorker to dismiss Mohammad Imran Randhawa on Day 1 of Edgbaston Test")
When seasonal floods inundate the pit toilets at Taudibura Garo’s school in Papua New Guinea, the water rises inside the facility, rendering it unsafe. The 16‑year‑old and her classmates are sent home, unable to finish their lessons.
She is among an estimated 171 million students worldwide whose schooling was disrupted by climate hazards in 2025, according to a new UNICEF report. This represents roughly one in ten learners from preschool through high school.
Storms were the most frequent cause of disruption, affecting 109 million students, followed by floods and heatwaves.
These events led to suspended classes, damaged schools, shifts to remote learning, shortened instructional time, reduced attendance, and an increased risk of dropping out for millions.
Students in Papua New Guinea now confront even more severe weather as a stronger El Niño pattern raises the threat of extreme events in the coming months. “Usually the water comes up to our knees and floods the pit toilets, then it becomes unhealthy for us to stay at school, and we miss the lessons we are supposed to learn,” she said.
The poorest nations bear the brunt. Three‑quarters of those affected live in low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries, where education systems often lack the resources needed to protect learning during climate emergencies.
In Pakistan, severe monsoon floods in August delayed the return to school for more than 28 million students, marking one of the largest climate‑related education disruptions of 2025. Egypt’s Khamsin wind and dust storm caused a nationwide one‑day class suspension in April, also affecting over 28 million students.
Girls face heightened vulnerability. When schools and sanitation facilities are damaged and families are displaced, girls are often assigned extra caregiving and water‑collection duties. These pressures can increase the risk of forced child marriage, making it difficult for them to return to school.
Long‑term consequences loom. “For millions of children, climate hazards do more than disrupt lessons; they destroy schools, uproot families, and push the most vulnerable children, especially girls, out of the classroom for good,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. Unless decisive action is taken, students who experienced disruptions in 2025 could lose at least $200 billion in lifetime earnings cumulatively.
At a macro level, learning losses and higher dropout rates can reduce workforce productivity, slow economic growth, and hinder poverty reduction efforts. UNICEF urges governments worldwide to invest more heavily in climate‑resilient educational systems and infrastructure to safeguard education for current and future generations.
