Climate-related flooding forces school closures for millions of children in 2025

Heavy rains have caused the creek that runs alongside a rural school in Papua New Guinea to overflow, breaching the school’s perimeter gate and flooding the interior. The rising water entered the pit latrines, saturating the grounds and rendering the classrooms unsafe for occupancy. As a result, the school was forced to suspend lessons, sending 16‑year‑old student Taudibura Garo and her classmates home before the day’s curriculum could be completed.

Local education officials confirmed that the disruption affected all students at the school, and that repairs to the drainage system and sanitation facilities will be required before normal classes can resume. The incident highlights the vulnerability of remote schools to extreme weather events and underscores the need for improved infrastructure to protect learning environments in flood‑prone regions of Papua New Guinea.