28/04/2026
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐
๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ฌ
by Charlene Posas
In many Philippine schools, studying is no longer just about lessons, quizzes, and deadlines. For students, it now also means enduring heat that makes everyday learning more difficult.
By afternoon, classrooms can feel stifling. Electric fans offer little relief, circulating warm air instead of cooling it. Students try to focus, but discomfort sets in early, often before lessons gain momentum.
โLisod kaayo mag-focus kay init kaayo, murag di na ko ka-follow sa lesson,โ one student said.
โKapoy na akong lawas bisan bag-o pa nagsugod ang klase,โ another shared.
The impact on learning is immediate and tangible. Concentration slips during long discussions. Some students grow drowsy, while others struggle to process information. Even routine tasksโtaking notes, answering questionsโrequire more effort when the body already feels drained.
โMurag mawala akong focus sa tunga sa discussion kay init kaayo,โ one student said.
โLisod maghunahuna tarong kay murag bug-at na akong ulo tungod sa kainit,โ another added.
Teachers attempt to adapt by shortening discussions or inserting brief breaks, but the heat remains a constant presence in the classroom.
Academic demands do not ease. Assignments, group work, quizzes, and exams continue as scheduled, but the heat amplifies fatigue. Sitting for long periods becomes uncomfortable, uniforms cling, and staying alert in the afternoon turns into a daily challenge.
โMurag mubug-at akong lawas samtang naglingkod ra ko,โ a student said.
By dayโs end, many feel physically exhausted, even without strenuous activity.
Weather disruptions further complicate routines. Classes are sometimes suspended due to sudden rain or extreme conditions, yet students are still expected to keep pace. Deadlines rarely adjust, creating added pressure to catch up.
โKapoy kaayo kay usahay walay klase pero naa gihapon ang requirements,โ one student said. โMagdali-dali mi pirmi para makahabol.โ
โLisod i-balance kay naa pa ang catch-up sa lessons, unya same ra gihapon ang due date,โ another added.
Despite these challenges, students continue to show up and push through, adapting to conditions that are far from ideal.
Over time, however, the combined strain of heat and academic pressure begins to take a toll. Learning becomes less engaging and more exhausting than it should be.
As temperatures rise, calls for change are growing louder. Improved ventilation, better classroom infrastructure, and more flexible academic policies during extreme weather are among the solutions being raised.
These are not merely matters of comfortโthey are essential to effective learning.
Climate change is no longer a distant concept discussed in textbooks. It is felt daily, inside classrooms. It is the heat that disrupts focus, the fatigue that builds through each lesson, the effort required just to get through the day.
In many schools, classrooms no longer just feel warm.
At times, they feel like ovens.
Layout by Junnecit Santing
