Natural disasters disrupt education for 13 million students globally

Save the Children has reported that approximately 13 million students across six countries have had their education disrupted by natural disasters and climate-related events over the last three months. The affected nations include Venezuela, Nepal, Japan, Colombia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

In Venezuela, intense earthquakes recorded mid-year impacted roughly one million students. Structural damage to hundreds of institutions left more than 21,000 students without immediate access to their original schools, forcing many into temporary classrooms in tents or shelters. In Asia, massive monsoon flooding in Nepal and the Philippines, alongside seismic activity in Japan and Indonesia, contributed to the global educational emergency.

Disruptions have manifested through school closures, forced student migration, and a shift to online learning. During a United Nations General Assembly address, the NGO called on world leaders to allocate at least $5 billion to strengthen school infrastructure through the Global Partnership for Education to ensure more resilient and inclusive learning systems.