As Italian schools reopen after the country’s long summer break, teachers are raising concerns about extreme classroom heat driven by rising temperatures and outdated infrastructure.
The return to school this month comes after a 97-day summer holiday—the longest in Europe. While parents welcome the routine, educators warn that classrooms are becoming too hot for learning. In southern regions like Sicily, where forecasts predict highs of 33°C, some schools have decided to shorten the school day to noon during the initial reopening period.
Antonino Rinaldo, a school administrator in Palermo, described how direct sun exposure turns small classrooms into overheated spaces, making it difficult for both students and teachers to function. The issue is amplified by the lack of air conditioning; only 6% of schools across the country are equipped with it, according to the Ministry of Education.
Calls for change amid warming climate
Marcello Pacifico, head of the teachers’ union ANIEF, said Italy’s academic calendar no longer reflects the country’s changing climate. He pointed out that May and June, when students often take final exams, have become increasingly difficult due to rising heat. Pacifico also emphasized that the problem extends beyond Italy, calling for broader European solutions as climate patterns shift across the continent.
Europe has warmed at twice the global average rate since the 1980s, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Summers now start earlier and end later, creating longer periods of extreme heat.
The heat doesn’t just affect students. Over half of Italy’s teachers are over the age of 50, and high temperatures in the classroom pose health risks and reduce the overall quality of education. Rinaldo stressed that when students can’t concentrate, learning outcomes suffer.
Parents push back as infrastructure lags
In cities like Bari, Bologna, Florence and Naples, early September temperatures continue to hover around 30°C as Italian schools reopen. Sardinia and other regions have called for national dialogue on how to adapt school facilities to climate realities.
While ANIEF has proposed extending the summer break, the suggestion has sparked backlash. Many parents argue that the current 97-day holiday is already too long. A petition launched by the non-profit group We World has collected over 76,000 signatures in support of shortening the break by a month, citing disadvantages faced by working families.
Air conditioning could help, but high energy costs and inefficient buildings remain major obstacles. Many schools were built between 1950 and 1992 and lack proper insulation. Even newer facilities, like one in Frattamaggiore near Naples, suffer from poor construction quality, according to teacher Nunzia Capasso.
Capasso warned that for students in underprivileged areas, schools are more than places to learn—they offer structure and safety. She urged the government to invest in year-round school infrastructure capable of supporting students in every season.
