School closures due to extreme weather are becoming more common around the world, according to a new report on education published by the World Bank.
Although it is a relatively common phenomenon, the temporary closure of schools is extremely difficult to monitor, especially at the international level, because there is no systematized way of monitoring and statistics on the number of lost days. says Climate 101.
However, based on research and estimates, the report states that between January 2022 and June 2024 alone, as many as 404 million children around the world missed school due to extreme weather conditions.
At least 81 countries implemented at least one measure of suspension of classes during this period, most often due to floods, storms and heat waves.
On average, countries lost as many as 28 teaching days during this period - poorer countries lost an average of 45, and richer countries lost only 6 days.
Measures proposed by the World Bank
Although delaying the start of the school year might have made our lives easier this year, the suspension of classes is just a patch - a sign of powerlessness in the face of the dangers brought about by climate change. But there are also real solutions, Klima 101 writes.
The World Bank report lists a large number of measures, practices and new rules that would help schools around the world, from an early warning system (which would enable timely reactions from the competent authorities), through infrastructure solutions, renovations, various cooling systems, information, and even the organization of classes at the distance.
The estimated average cost of such measures is slightly over 18 US dollars per child - and that as a one-time investment. Of course, the real price depends on a huge number of local factors, so for us in Serbia, such estimates do not say much.
Measures in Serbia
But some of the measures mentioned in the report are already part of domestic legislation in one way or another. For example, in the Adaptation Program to the changed climatic conditions, the improvement of the capacities of the RHMZ is foreseen when it comes to early announcements and warnings, as well as timely communication about climate hazards.
In other words, the main question is not really dShould we have postponed the start of the school year because of the hot weather, but what should we do to avoid such decisions in the future?
