Heat, 53° in the corridor: primary school closed in France. Sickness for 13-year-old in Reggio Emilia

The girl - as reported today by the local editions of Resto del Carlino and Gazzetta di Reggio - felt ill during class.

School personnel immediately intervened withwater-soaked towels to refresh her and an ambulance was alerted and transported the minor to the emergency room.

This was not an isolated case, so much so that some parents picked up their children after they felt unwell.

The school has several classrooms exposed to the sun. "We have partly outdated facilities," explained head teacher Mariacristina Grazioli, "and there is no air conditioning in the classrooms.

In other schools we are fortunate to have large parks and green spaces in which to teach. An efficiency plan has already been discussed with the municipal administrators: we have to foresee a future with more heat waves".

For examinations, the headmaster is considering the most suitable environments, such as the air-conditioned assembly hall and the new gymnasium. The heat is also creating problems in the rest of the province.

In Reggio Emilia, Education Councillor Marwa Mahmoud explained that 'outdoor lessons have already begun in several primary and middle schools', while the Province has equipped high schools with fans.