Italian schools face heatwave challenges during reopening

As the new school year begins in Italy, extreme heatwaves are prompting debates over classroom conditions and start dates. The union Anief has called for postponing the start of lessons, noting that 95% of Italian classrooms lack air conditioning. They highlighted that mayors have the legal authority to reduce the mandatory 200 school days per year for exceptional health reasons.

In Sicily, the regional government has not issued a general postponement, instead allowing individual schools and municipalities to decide based on local conditions. For example, the mayor of Rosolini has postponed classes until September 21 to protect students and staff from high temperatures.

Beyond climate concerns, social research from Salesiani per il sociale indicates that many students in peripheral areas face significant anxiety regarding academic inclusion and future prospects. Additionally, educators are emphasizing the need for a stronger educational partnership between teachers and families to combat declining literacy and vocabulary levels among youth.