Doctors call for postponement of school openings due to record heat.

The Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (Sima) has raised an alarm regarding the reopening of schools during the sixth wave of African heat, calling for urgent modifications to protect students and staff. According to the doctors, only 11% of institutions are equipped with air conditioning systems, which are moreover reserved for administrative offices, while classrooms must rely on fans that are "completely inadequate."

Sima emphasizes that climate changes necessitate an adaptation of the school sector, as extreme temperatures jeopardize the well-being of those who frequent the buildings. The alarm joins requests from various quarters for a postponement of the start of the school year, given the heat wave that is making classrooms "scorching."

The problem of Italian schools being ill-equipped for extreme heat stems from a combination of two factors: outdated school infrastructure and the acceleration of climate change. For decades, most school buildings were constructed without considering the need for air conditioning, given that Italian summers were traditionally milder.

The situation has become critical in recent years with the increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, a phenomenon directly linked to global warming. In 2026, the sixth African heatwave is being experienced, following months of extreme temperatures, making conditions in non-air-conditioned classrooms unbearable. This has led doctors and associations to call for structural interventions and changes to the school calendar to adapt to the new climatic normal.