By Abdullahi Lukman
Extreme weather events across Eastern and Southern Africa have disrupted the education of millions of children, causing widespread school closures, damaging infrastructure and threatening long-term economic prospects, according to a new report by UNICEF.
The report, Protecting Children’s Learning Futures: Quantifying Climate-Related Loss and Damage in Eastern and Southern Africa, says floods, droughts and cyclones are increasingly forcing schools to shut down or operate under unsafe conditions, with many children dropping out of education entirely.
UNICEF estimates that climate-related damage has already caused about $1.3 billion in losses to education infrastructure.
Around 130 million children have experienced learning disruptions linked to climate events, with projected lifetime income losses reaching up to $140 billion.
The report warns that without stronger investment in resilient education systems, the situation will worsen as climate shocks become more frequent and severe.
It projects that by 2050, up to 520 million children could be affected, with potential income losses rising to $380 billion.
Countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia and Zambia are among the hardest hit, where repeated climate disruptions are compounding existing challenges such as poverty and weak service delivery.
Schools in these areas are often forced to close, reduce teaching hours or operate in poor conditions.
A major example cited is the El Niño-induced drought in Southern Africa between 2023 and 2024, which led to food, water and electricity shortages, forcing widespread school closures and reducing student attendance and learning outcomes.
UNICEF also noted that rural children, girls and those from low-income households are disproportionately affected. In some cases, children are pulled out of school to support their families, while girls face increased risks of early marriage during climate crises.
The agency highlighted that less than 1.5% of global climate finance is directed toward education, limiting governments’ ability to build climate-resilient schools and systems.
It called for greater investment in infrastructure, water and sanitation, teacher training, digital learning and social protection programmes.
UNICEF said strengthening education systems against climate shocks is critical not only to protect children’s right to learn but also to safeguard future economic growth and human development across the region.
