02/09/2026
It is deeply concerning that students have had to endure inadequate cooling conditions in schools during examinations, turning to social media, describing classrooms in which they have become 'soaking wet' from the heat, with some students experiencing nausea and fainting. Such conditions should not be normalised, particularly as Malta continues to experience increasingly intense periods of heat and prolonged high temperatures.
Students had to rely primarily on fans and open windows for ventilation and cooling. However, when outdoor temperatures are already extremely high, particularly as a result of poor environmental planning and the continued reduction of vegetation and trees, open windows cannot be considered an adequate solution and may simply allow more hot air into classrooms. Unequal access to adequate cooling across schools creates an uneven playing field, subjecting students taking identical assessments to unequal testing environments.
Excessive heat is not merely an issue of comfort. It can have a direct impact on students' wellbeing, concentration and cognitive performance, making it significantly more difficult to study, retain information and perform effectively. Expecting students to spend hours in poorly ventilated and excessively hot classrooms, whether attending lessons, sitting for examinations or participating in summer school, places an entirely unnecessary burden on them. Adequate cooling should not be viewed as a luxury. It is a basic condition for creating a safe, healthy and effective environment.
