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Italy schools implement heat emergency measures
As the new school year begins in Italy, extreme heatwaves are prompting local authorities to implement emergency measures to protect students and staff. In Palermo, Mayor Roberto Lagalla has issued a directive to temporarily close municipal schools during ‘red alert’ climate warnings, unless the facilities have fully functional air conditioning. In such cases, remote learning may be activated to ensure continuity.
In the Lazio region, officials are meeting with unions to address the lack of air conditioning in schools, with the possibility of issuing an ordinance to suspend lessons if temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius. Similarly, the Mayor of Catanzaro has ordered early dismissal at 1:00 PM for the first week of September to mitigate thermal discomfort.
In Sicily, the town of Rosolini has postponed its school start to September 21 to allow for sanitation and to address the lack of cooling equipment. Meanwhile, unions like Anief and GILDA are highlighting systemic issues, including the shortage of air conditioning in approximately 95% of Italian classrooms and the ongoing challenges of teacher job security and building maintenance.
Entities
ANIEF · Catanzaro · Cisl-Scuola · Flc-Cgil · Giuseppe Valditara · Italy · Lazio · Lazio Region · Legambiente · Ministry of Education and Merit · Palermo · Roberto Lagalla
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Italia Viva – Casa Riformista Massafra expressed concern regarding a fallen tree at the Giovanni Pascoli Institute. www.oltrefreepress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Dante Alighieri primary school in Sutrio has reopened following 2.185 million euros in regional renovations. www.nordest24.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Sutrio school had been closed since 2019 due to seismic vulnerability assessments. www.nordest24.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A large pine branch fell within the perimeter of the Giovanni Pascoli Institute in Massafra during the night of August 23-24. www.oltrefreepress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The closure in Rosolini is intended for extraordinary pest control and deratization due to extreme heat. www.canicattiweb.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Mayor Giovanni Spadola signed ordinance no. 92 on September 3, 2026, closing all school buildings in Rosolini. www.canicattiweb.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Rosolini school delay is also attributed to a lack of adequate classroom air conditioning. www.canicattiweb.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Public greenery maintenance in Massafra is managed via a five-year contract valued at approximately 1.4 million euros. www.oltrefreepress.com