Climate disasters wreck schools, derail millions of learners

Audio By Vocalize

Climate-related disasters have already cost education systems in Eastern and Southern Africa an estimated $1.3 billion (Sh168 billion) in direct losses, including damage to schools and teaching infrastructure, and have disrupted learning for about 130 million children.

This is according to a new United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Dalberg report titled Protecting Children’s Learning Futures: Quantifying Climate-Related Loss and Damage in Eastern and Southern Africa.

The analysis further estimates that these disruptions have already resulted in up to $140 billion (Sh18.1 trillion) in lost future earnings. This could rise to $380 billion (Sh49 trillion) by 2050 as climate impacts intensify and affect up to 520 million students.

“Children are paying the highest price for a crisis they did not create,” said Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

She added: “For the first time, this report shows the scale of climate-related loss and damage to education, yet the impact on children remains largely invisible in financing decisions. This must change.”

The report draws on detailed analysis from Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia and Zambia, showing how increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events—floods, droughts, cyclones and heatwaves—are destroying school infrastructure, forcing children out of classrooms and disproportionately affecting girls, children with disabilities and marginalised communities.

Zambia’s experience illustrates both the scale and human toll of the crisis. Between 2005 and 2024, floods and droughts disrupted learning for five million students and caused an estimated $60 million (Sh7.75 billion) in immediate damage to education infrastructure. Over the same period, future earnings losses were projected at up to $5 billion (Sh644.5 billion).

Reduced learning hours  

The severe 2023–2024 El Niño-driven drought in Southern Africa, among the worst in decades, left nearly 10 million people without food, water or electricity. Schools were forced to reduce learning hours, close temporarily or send students home early. Rural learners and girls were hardest hit, with many dropping out to support household livelihoods or facing increased risks of early marriage.

Despite these growing impacts, education receives less than 1.5 per cent of global climate finance, leaving systems exposed to repeated cycles of loss and recovery.
The report notes that investing in climate-resilient education systems delivers strong returns, with every $1 (Sh129) invested generating up to $13 (Sh1,677) in benefits through reduced damage, fewer disruptions and improved learning continuity.

“Without stronger prioritisation in climate finance, education will continue to bear the brunt of climate impacts,” said Kadilli. “We must design systems that anticipate shocks and keep schools open, or the true cost will be measured in lost human potential.”

UNICEF is urging governments, donors and climate funds to integrate education into climate frameworks, apply climate-risk budgeting in education financing and scale targeted climate finance for schools under key global funds.