E-Paper
118 million children in India, 4 other countries affected by heatwaves in April last year: UNICEF
In India alone, 54,784,029 students were affected in 2024, with heatwaves being the major climate hazard causing the largest school disruption.
At least one in seven students had their schooling disrupted due to climate hazards in 2024, according to a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) report.
The report stated that heat waves were the most significant climate hazard disrupting schooling, affecting an estimated 171 million students globally.
April saw the highest global climate-related school disruptions, with heatwaves affecting at least 118 million children in India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Thailand, UNICEF said.
In India alone, 54,784,029 students were affected in 2024, with heatwaves being the major climate hazard causing the largest school disruption.
Also read: Duration of heatwaves to get longer in 189 Indian cities, says study
“India is extremely vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, ranking 26 out of 163 countries in the UNICEF Children’s Climate Risk Index of 2021. Fast-onset hazards such as flooding, landslides and cyclones have repeatedly caused destruction to schools while environmental stressors like extreme heat and air pollution are harming children’s health and hindering their school attendance and learning outcomes,” UNICEF said.
UNICEF mentioned that the government has integrated elements of climate change into the National Curriculum Framework (NCF).
At the state level, UNICEF is working with the government to implement Comprehensive School Safety Programmes (CSSP) across 12 states.
“These programmes integrate elements of climate change, focusing on safe school learning environments and empowering children as agents of change.”
Here are UNICEF's other key findings about the impact of extreme climate events on children's schooling
- Globally, at least 242 million students in pre-primary to upper-secondary classes experienced school disruptions due to climate events in 2024.
- Of the 242 million affected students, 74 per cent are in low- and lower-middle-income countries, with an average Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) score of 7 out of 10.
- Eighty-five countries/territories saw their schools affected by climate hazards, with 23 countries experiencing multiple rounds of school closures.
- At least 20 countries had nationwide school disruptions. Heatwaves, tropical cyclones, storms, and floods caused nationwide school closures in 2024.
- South Asia was the region most affected, with 128 million students' schooling disrupted. East Asia and the Pacific region followed with 50 million impacted students.
- September recorded the most frequent climate-related school disruptions. At least 18 countries suspended classes. Typhoon Yagi affected 16 million children in East Asia and the Pacific.
- In Africa, where over 107 million children are already out of school, climate-related disruptions last year have put an additional 20 million children at risk of dropping out.
