Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is a harsh reality for millions of Pakistanis. According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Pakistan ranks fifth among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The recently released Annual Status of Education Report 2023, which collected data from 106,974 households and 7,865 schools on climate change and its impact on homes and schools, students and communities, reveals alarming trends. A significant portion of the population (over 70 percent nationally) lacks basic knowledge about climate change, leaving them vulnerable to its devastating consequences affecting learning and thereby exacerbating learning losses.

As we write this, we are reminded of comments of an affected student in Chitral: “Thank God we are safe. It was very scary to see our neighbourhood girls’ school get demolished following rains and floods. Our school was built on the same pathway. Within minutes we saw it collapse, too. From nursery to Grade 8, I went to that school; now we have shifted twice as we saw it rebuild. We are learning about climate change, catching up on learning and healing together from the terrible trauma.”

It is refreshing to read that manifestos of some political parties have made promises to address climate change challenges. But can we track political promises through implementation pathways, especially in light of the evidence emerging on education and climate change impact? This evidence from ASER 2023 speaks loudly about how climate change impacts schools, students, teachers and families and what could be the way forward to address the challenges.

The nationwide ASER 2023 data reveals the following trends:

Low awareness: The national survey reveals a significant knowledge gap regarding climate change. Over 72 percent of respondents said that they were "uninformed." This highlights the need for nationwide awareness campaigns to educate the public about climate change impacts and adaptation strategies. Schools, students, teachers, parents/ communities are key target groups, benefitting from the integrating of climate change education in curricula, pedagogy and teacher training.

Education disruption: Many households reported disruptions in children's education due to natural disasters. This is particularly concerning in areas like Kashmir, where 34 percent of households reported schooling being extremely affected; 43 and 36 percent in Sindh and Balochistan being extremely and moderately affected by natural disasters. Education and learning losses compound when schools are closed or are dysfunctional and it is vital to build resilience from climate shocks.

Damaged schools: The ASER 2023 data reveals widespread damage to schools, with more government schools being affected (33 percent) than private schools (15 percent) in most provinces. The damage disrupts education and necessitates urgent reconstruction efforts that incorporate climate-resilient building practices. Resources for reconstruction are hard to mobilise, especially in resource strapped countries.

Uneven reconstruction/ rehabilitation assistance: The ASER data reveals an uneven distribution of assistance for damaged schools. While Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have shown a relatively high percentage of schools receiving aid, others places like Sindh have lower rates.

Increased disasters: A substantial percentage of households (ranging from 12 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to 38 percent in Balochistan) reported being significantly impacted by natural disasters in the past year. This aligns with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report, which emphasises the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change.

 Many households reported disruptions in children's education due to natural disasters. This is particularly concerning in areas like Kashmir, where 34 percent of households reported schooling being extremely affected.

Psychological impact: Climate disasters have a significant mental health impact. A substantial number of families across provinces reported substantial or somewhat negative effect on their psychological/ mental wellbeing. Addressing the mental health consequences of climate change is crucial for building individual and community resilience. Mental health is a major challenge for students, teachers and families.

Economic losses: The financial burden of climate disasters is immense. A significant portion of households (ranging from 3 percent in Gilgit-Baltistan to 23 percent in the Punjab) reported losing over half their earnings due to recurrent natural disasters. This economic hardship can push vulnerable populations further into poverty.

Policy recommendations for urgent action:

Impressive promises have been made by political parties (the PML-N and the PPP) in their manifestos for climate change and education. The recommendations below are crafted to help parties and decisionmakers in power accelerate the implementation of promises and principles on climate change and education

Climate-resilient design and infrastructure: Invest in building and retrofitting schools with climate-resilient materials and designs to ensure they can withstand extreme weather events. Alter school design in emergency/ disaster prone areas with kitchen and store. Schools are often used for shelters as first protection spaces during disasters; without appropriate facilities, school furniture and infrastructure is badly damaged and destroyed post disaster situations and when families take temporary refuge there.

Nationwide climate change education: Launch comprehensive public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about climate change, its impact and mitigation and adaptation strategies. It must engage schools, colleges, students and faculty, urgently integrating climate change in curriculum/ textbooks, active holistic life skills, innovative pedagogy and initial and continuous teachers’ professional development.

Annual budget and provision in school councils/ SMC funds: The budget for climate change emergencies should support awareness, curriculum integration, training, innovations, accelerated learning for learning losses and minor/ major rehabilitation.

Disaster risk reduction programmes: Develop and implement national and provincial disaster risk reduction programmes that prioritise early warning systems, evacuation planning, school drills and community preparedness training.

Mental health support: Integrate sustainable mental health services into disaster response plans and invest in long-term mental health support programmes for schools, students, teachers and communities impacted and vulnerable to climate shocks.

Social safety nets: Strengthen and expand existing social safety nets to provide financial assistance to communities and individuals disproportionately affected by climate change disasters/ emergencies as households can be profoundly affected needing income stabilisation.

Equitable distribution of resources: Ensure an equitable and increased allocation and distribution of resources for post-disaster reconstruction and climate adaptation efforts, focusing first on the most vulnerable schools, disaster prone schools.

Open-source portal on climate change: Such a portal is critical for schools/ colleges and public on generating climate change awareness, providing learning materials, training modules and resource mobilisation. Climate change mitigation and learning resources have been proliferating over the years. Sadly, as Afia Salam, an expert and activist on climate change, remarks “these are not reflected in our curriculum, textbooks, pedagogy and school/ community-based preparedness in Pakistan.” The materials are available on several platforms, including the Ministry of Climate Change, the WWF, the AKU-IED, Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagahi, the UNESCO and the UNICEF.

The ASER 2023 data presents a compelling case for immediate action on climate change in Pakistan. By implementing the proposed policy recommendations, Pakistan can build a more resilient future, safeguard its citizens' wellbeing, offset learning losses and ensure strong capabilities for sustainable development in the face of climate change crises.

Anisha Saleem is data analyst at Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagahi.

Baela Raza Jamil is the CEO of Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagahi and the founder of Pakistan Learning Festival. She can be reached at baela.jamil@itacec.org