Teachers sound the alarm: pupils collapsing in the classroom due to the heat

Pupils who feel unwell and collapse due to the extreme heat whilst sitting their A-level exams; teachers who, armed with makeshift sticks, force windows open to allow everyone to breathe; school staff who bring fans to school from home: the heatwave of recent days is causing serious disruption to the ongoing state exams, and many people, from the north to the south of Italia, are calling for investment in air-conditioning systems in schools or for the exam dates to be rescheduled.

“The school-leaving exams need to be completely rethought in the light of climate change, or, as *Liberation* wrote yesterday, the heatwave must be politicised,” comments Christian Raimo, a writer and teacher of history and philosophy at a Roman secondary school. The Minister for Education, Giuseppe Valditara, has assured in recent days that the Government is working on a structural solution for air-conditioning in classrooms. “We are addressing the issue of air conditioning, because with the huge investments we have made in recent years – thanks in part to PNRR funds – an increasing number of schools are now equipped with air conditioning,” he said, reiterating the need for a “financial incentive for local authorities”, which own the buildings.

To date, only 7.42 per cent – equivalent to 4,457 schools – are equipped with air-conditioning or ventilation systems, an increase of 490 schools compared with the previous survey. This means that over 90 per cent of schools – and, more or less, of this year’s A-level students – have had to sit their exams without any relief from the scorching heat of recent days. This shortfall is hitting regions such as Emilia-Romagna (still at 9.5 per cent) and Veneto (11.03 per cent) particularly hard. Only the Marche region appears to be a beacon of hope, thanks to its 30.23 per cent of air-conditioned schools. The Teachers’ Coordination Group for Human Rights estimates that around 3.7 billion is needed to equip schools with air-conditioning systems, upgrade the electricity networks, install sunshades, carry out energy efficiency measures, and fit solar panels and air quality monitoring systems.

“As a metropolitan authority, we are prepared to consider the possibility of installing cooling systems, but we lack the funds: we already have urgent expenditure totalling 80 million relating to asbestos and the construction of new premises; we need the Region and the State to step in to provide further funding”, explains Daniele Parrucci, the mayor’s representative for school building projects in the metropolitan city of Rome. Regional councillor Alessio D’Amato of Azione is also calling for funds to be allocated for this purpose.

“Following the ‘Piano Casa’, we need a ‘Piano Scuola’,” says Mario Rusconi, president of the National Association of Headteachers in Rome. Meanwhile, the national president of headteachers, Antonello Giannelli, suggests bringing forward the start time of the oral A-level exams to the early hours of the morning, using air-conditioned rooms other than ordinary classrooms where available, and ensuring that water is provided to everyone present.