Africa: School in a Hot World - What Research Is Saying About Children's Health and Learning

Climate change is making southern Africa hotter. While much attention has focused on climate impacts like droughts, floods and food insecurity, another crisis is unfolding quietly inside classrooms. Research has shown that some schools are becoming dangerously hot places for children to develop, learn and play.

Hot classrooms can affect concentration, memory, behaviour and academic success. Extreme heat also increases risks to children's physical and mental health, especially in schools with poor ventilation, overcrowded classrooms and limited access to drinking water.

For many children, especially those in poor communities, school may now be one of the hottest places to spend their day. This is a serious but under-recognised education and public health issue.

Our research as environmental health scientists at the South African Medical Research Council highlights how rising temperatures are affecting daily life and well-being. Multiple studies support this.

Together with the University of Johannesburg, we've studied classroom thermal conditions and possible impacts on children's health in Gauteng province - more than half of the temperature and humidity readings called for caution or extreme caution. Another of our studies, led by University of Johannesburg environmental health researcher Shalin Bidassey-Manilal, measured classroom temperatures in Johannesburg and found that almost all the children reported low concentration levels. One of our studies traced relationships between classroom temperature and absenteeism, which increased at temperatures over 25°C.

Yet, school buildings and playgrounds are not often designed or adapted for protecting children against extreme heat.

Home isn't always safer either: we've shown that families living in government-built low-cost and informally constructed homes are the most at risk for indoor temperature extremes.

Our most recent study has shown that the impacts differ between rural and urban schools too. For example, one of our findings was that urban classrooms were better at keeping the temperature at a comfortable 25°C-28°C compared to rural classrooms. Differences like this deepen educational and health inequalities.

For many people, climate change still feels like a future problem. But for children sitting in overheated classrooms, it is already affecting their ability to learn, thrive and stay healthy. Education systems across southern Africa must better prepare for a hotter future.

The human brain works best within a relatively narrow temperature range. When classrooms become too hot, children may