Papua new guinea: When the creek beside Taudibura Garos school in Papua New Guinea floods, the water doesn't stop at the gate. It rises through the pit toilets, making the school unsafe and forcing the 16-year-old and her classmates to return home without completing their lessons.According to United Nations, Taudibura is among an estimated 171 million students worldwide whose education was disrupted by climate hazards in 2025. This number represents approximately one in ten students globally, from pre-school to the end of high school. The most common cause of these disruptions was storms, affecting 109 million students, followed by floods and heatwaves. These natural events led to suspended classes, damaged schools, a shift to remote learning, shortened instructional time, reduced school attendance, and an increased risk of dropping out for millions.Students in Papua New Guinea, including Taudibura and her classmates, face more extreme weather conditions this year. The stronger-than-ever El Niño climate p attern is expected to heighten the risk of extreme weather 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 explained.While students from all income levels were impacted by these disruptions, three-quarters of those affected live in low and lower-middle-income countries. According to UNICEF, education systems in these regions often lack the resources needed to safeguard learning during climate-related emergencies. In Pakistan, for instance, severe monsoon floods in August delayed the return to school for over 28 million students, marking one of the largest climate-related education disruptions recorded in 2025. Similarly, in Egypt, a powerful Khamsin storm led to a nationwide suspension of classes for one day in April, affecting more than 28 million students.The report highlights that girls are more vulnerable than boys to dropping out when climate hazards d isrupt or close schools. When educational and sanitation facilities are damaged, and families are displaced or lose income, girls are often given additional caregiving and water-collection responsibilities. These pressures can increase the risk of forced child marriage, making it difficult for girls to return to school once they reopen.For millions of children, climate hazards do more than disrupt lessons. They destroy schools, uproot families, and push the most vulnerable children, particularly girls, out of the classroom for good, stressed UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. The report warns that unless clear action is taken, students who experienced climate-related school disruptions in 2025 could cumulatively lose at least $200 billion in lifetime earnings.At a macroeconomic level, learning losses and higher school dropout rates could reduce workforce productivity, slow economic growth, and make it harder for countries to reduce poverty. UNICEF is now calling on governments worldwide to inves t more heavily in climate-resilient educational systems and infrastructure to protect education for children today and for future generations, in Ms. Russell's words.
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