Pinoys’ academic growth stunted by climate challenges — UNICEF

As the new school year started on Monday, 16 June, UNICEF Philippines is urging a climate-resilient approach to in-person classes.

The United Nations agency said this can be done by making the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — the Philippines’ climate action plan under the Paris Agreement — child-sensitive.

The government plans to submit its updated NDC ahead of the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil.

Children in the Philippines, who make up a third of the population, face some of the highest risks from climate and environmental shocks.

The World Risk Index has ranked the Philippines as the most disaster-prone country for three years in a row. A UNICEF report also placed the Philippines as the second highest in climate risk for children in East Asia and the Pacific.

Preliminary findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies show that 53 teaching days were lost due to climate-related disruptions.

This has translated to learning losses, with studies showing a decline in Math and Science achievement among Grade 4 students by as much as 12 to 14 percent of a standard deviation — equivalent to half a year of learning.

Despite Republic Act 10821, which states that schools should be used as evacuation centers only as a last resort, they are often converted into shelters during disasters.

Limited access to transport, damaged infrastructure and destroyed learning materials further hinder children’s education. The Department of Education also reportedly loses P17.98 billion annually due to exposure to high-risk hazards.

“The climate crisis is not just changing the planet — it is changing children. The health and development of children’s brains, lungs, immune systems and other critical functions are affected by their environment,” said Behzad Noubary, UNICEF Philippines officer-in-charge.

“Later is too late. We need to transform climate goals into reality for children now,” he added.

UNICEF urged the government to invest in infrastructure, curricula, teacher training and flexible learning systems to ensure continued access to quality education during climate-related disruptions.

About 27 million Filipino students returned to school on Monday, according to the Department of Education.