Puerto Rico’s Children Have Lost More Than 13 Million School Days Since Hurricane Maria

Six Months Later, Children in Puerto Rico Still Urgently Need Academic and Emotional Support.

Half a year since Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, school-age children have collectively missed out on more than 13 million full days of learning. Trauma continues for children on the island, which suffers from unstable electricity, water and public services. Many families are still without basic necessities and children urgently need psychological and emotional support, Save the Children warns.

In some rural and mountainous regions, more than 50 percent of households remain without power six months later. Across the island, blackouts are frequent, causing residents to relive the immediate effects of the hurricane long after it has passed. Nearly one in three schools lacks electricity, meaning students cannot attend class full time. Many schools are only operating on a limited daily schedule, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., due to electricity, water and sewage problems.

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