Climate crises disrupted education for 3.3 crore children in Bangladesh in 2024, making them among the most affected globally, according to UNICEF's latest report.
The study, titled "Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2024," reveals that extreme weather events like heatwaves, cyclones, and floods caused multiple rounds of school closures across the globe, with South Asia being hit the hardest, reads a press release.
Bangladesh faced widespread disruptions as heatwaves in April and May forced a nationwide shutdown of schools for up to two weeks to protect children from dehydration and heatstroke.
Cyclone Remal and severe flooding in June compounded the crisis, impacting 18.4 million people, including 7 million children. Sylhet district was the worst affected, with floods destroying infrastructure and denying access to education for more than 600,000 students. UNICEF estimates show that children in Sylhet lost up to eight weeks of schooling in 2024, while districts like Khulna, Chattogram, and Rangpur faced six-week closures.
“The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, exacerbated by the climate crisis, is depriving Bangladeshi children of their right to learn,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh. “Prolonged school closures not only disrupt education but also increase the risk of children dropping out and adolescent girls being forced into early marriages to ease families’ economic burdens.”
The report highlights the dire state of education in Bangladesh, where one in two children cannot read at their grade level and two-thirds cannot perform basic arithmetic after completing primary education. With the country ranking among the top 10 for child marriages, climate-induced disruptions exacerbate existing challenges, deepening learning poverty and inequality.
UNICEF has called for urgent action from the interim Government of Bangladesh, international donors, and climate financing institutions to mitigate these impacts. Recommendations include:
- Increasing investment in climate-resilient and inclusive education infrastructure.
- Incorporating child-focused measures into the National Adaptation Plan and climate policies, with enhanced emission reduction commitments.
- Engaging children and young people in climate decision-making processes.
“Children in Bangladesh are at the intersection of two crises – climate change and learning poverty – threatening their futures,” Flowers emphasised. “Decision-makers must act urgently to protect children’s education and well-being by prioritizing their needs in climate policies and financing plans.”