The impacts of natural disasters on the education opportunities of ethnic minority children

Abstract

Abstract: This paper analyzes the multidimensional impacts of natural disasters on the learning opportunities of ethnic minority children in Truong Xuan Commune, Quang Ninh District, Quang Binh Province (currently renamed Truong Son Commune, Quang Tri Province). The analysis is based on qualitative data collected from 28 in-depth interviews and two focus group discussions with ethnic minority children, parents, teachers, school administrators, and local authorities. In addition, secondary data sources were employed to supplement the analysis. The findings reveal that natural disasters not only damage educational infrastructure and learning equipment but also disrupt school attendance, undermine sanitation and safety conditions, and adversely affect students’ physical and mental health. Disasters simultaneously erode household livelihoods and increase the burden of child labor, with girls being more vulnerable to these effects. Furthermore, factors such as geographical distance, economic constraints, and socio-cultural norms exacerbate gender and ethnic disparities in access to education. This paper provides important empirical evidence to inform policy and program interventions aimed at ensuring equal educational rights and enhancing the adaptive and recovery capacities of all children - especially ethnic minority children - in the face of increasingly complex natural disasters and climate change.