Soaring temperatures causing educational disruptions: exploring the escalating issue of school heat

In the Himalayan nation of Nepal, schools are grappling with a rising issue - the growing strength and length of heatwaves. With few guidelines in place for managing hot classrooms, a survey of 85 schools revealed that 90% of respondents had experienced heatwaves, most of whom reported negative impacts on both themselves and their students.

The survey, conducted by Bhuju, highlighted the need for improved climate conditions in schools. Solutions proposed include enhancing classroom infrastructure to better manage extreme temperatures, providing adequate teaching materials, supporting teacher training, and integrating interactive learning methods to engage students despite environmental challenges.

The urban heat island (UHI) effect, caused by factors such as fewer trees, more concrete and brick buildings, energy use, and lack of shade, contributes to Nepal's high temperatures. This phenomenon, common in cities worldwide, results in urban areas being significantly hotter than their surrounding countryside.

In response to the heat, remediation can be split into two broad areas: infrastructure changes like providing shading, greening the grounds, and air conditioning; and behavioral changes like altering school uniform policies, wearing hats outside, moving lessons to cooler rooms, and having more breaks for drinks.

However, without cheap renewable electricity supplies, air conditioning carries a high financial and environmental cost. In India alone, such a rollout could increase emissions by 120 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The lack of preparedness and response measures in Nepalese schools is concerning, as heatwaves are resulting in increased absenteeism, and more reports of headaches and fatigue, compromising students' ability to concentrate during lessons. Classrooms in Nepal are often poorly ventilated, overcrowded, and reach dangerously high temperatures, directly compromising student wellbeing and learning outcomes.

Globally, the impact of extreme heat in schools is significant. Unicef reported that hundreds of millions of schoolchildren globally missed out on education in 2024 due to heatwaves forcing the closure of their schools. Low- and middle-income countries are particularly affected, especially in cities where the urban heat island effect drives temperatures higher.

Bhuju hopes that the survey results can feed into policy, particularly local heat-management plans and heat-resistant infrastructure in Nepal. Integrating heatwave preparedness into the Comprehensive School Safety Framework, Unicef's global strategy to protect students and education from hazards of all kinds, is suggested as a crucial step forward.

Elsewhere, researchers have shown that hot classrooms make it harder to learn, with each 1F (0.56C) increase in school-year temperature reducing the amount learned by 1%. In the US, a June 2020 report by the Government Accountability Office estimated that 41% of public school districts need to replace or update heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in at least half their schools.

As the world grapples with the effects of climate change, the need to address the issue of heatwaves in schools is becoming increasingly urgent. By implementing effective solutions, we can ensure that students in Nepal and beyond are able to learn in a safe and comfortable environment, undistracted by extreme temperatures.

Soaring temperatures causing educational disruptions: exploring the escalating issue of school heat