Extreme Heat Exposes Health Risks For Schoolchildren

As Durban temperatures reached 30 degrees this week, one school resorted to holding classes outside. 

“Our classrooms are unbearably hot, and young children simply cannot cope. That is why photographs show learners seated outdoors while lessons continue,” says Neil Blankenberg, principal of Assegai Primary School in Wentworth.

In December, a 5-year-old pupil fainted in class due to soaring classroom temperatures. This is not an isolated incident. Blankenberg says many children are experiencing nosebleeds and dizziness, symptoms linked to heat stress. 

Studying the impact of heat on health

The World Health Organisation warns that an increasing number of people will be exposed to extreme heat due to climate change. Assegai Primary is one of the sites of the recently-launched Child Heat Impact–Climate Health Intervention (CHI²) project. 

“The project is aimed at looking at health effects that are seen in children who are affected by heat exposure. Our understanding is that it is very likely that our children are affected by heat and we are not aware of the full extent. So this project aims to make visible those invisible effects of heat exposure,” explains Professor Rajen Naidoo, CHI² project lead at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The project will take place in Durban, Harare in Zimbabwe and Haramaya in Ethiopia. 

Researchers stress that children are more vulnerable than adults because their bodies cannot regulate temperature as efficiently, making them prone to heat-related illnesses. 

“We are seeing a silent health crisis unfold,” says Naidoo. “Children are collapsing in classrooms, struggling to breathe, and experiencing nosebleeds yet the Department of Health has not fully recognised the scale of the problem.”

Researchers believe young children in low-income areas are particularly vulnerable. 

“That is why this project focuses on schools in KwaMashu and Wentworth, where classrooms are poorly ventilated and often constructed from metal sheeting. Temperatures inside these buildings can exceed 35°C, creating dangerous conditions for learning and play,” says Naidoo. 

Implementing protective measures

While the project is ongoing, researchers say the Departments of Health and Basic Education need to take immediate action by introducing shaded areas, improved classroom ventilation, fans, and adjusted school hours during periods of extreme heat – especially during January, which is one of the hottest months of the year.

“If we act now, we can prevent permanent damage. If not, we risk a generation of children facing chronic health issues caused by extreme heat,” says Naidoo. 

For Blankenberg, the project demonstrates the impact of rising temperatures on school environments and the urgent need for heat-adaptive infrastructure. “But the government seems unaware of how severe the problem has become”, he says.

The CHI² team hopes their findings will encourage policymakers to recognise heat exposure as a serious public health threat and implement urgent interventions to protect South Africa’s most vulnerable children. 

Meanwhile, plans are underway to roll out awareness programmes for learners, educators and parents. These will focus on recognising early signs of heat stress and adopting simple preventative measures. Parents are also being urged to ensure that children come to school with enough drinking water.  – Health-e News