Europe's Schools Hit Hard by Heatwave: Teachers Collapse and Call for Strikes

As a record-breaking heatwave strikes Europe, deteriorating conditions in schools—including reports of teachers collapsing during class—have led to calls for strikes by educators.

According to Reuters and the BBC on June 25 (local time), 13,500 schools in France have temporarily closed or adjusted their class schedules.

In England and Wales, approximately 2,400 schools have taken similar measures, and attendance rates have reportedly dropped even at schools that remain open.

Earlier, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that "individual schools will take appropriate action based on their own assessments."

In Europe, where air conditioning penetration is low, most schools lack cooling systems and have little experience in responding to extreme heat.

The NASUWT, a teachers' union in the U.K., reported that classroom temperatures in some areas have reached 40°C (104°F), causing several teachers to faint while teaching.

In the U.K., the temperature in Yeovilton, Somerset, England, reached 36.4°C (98°F) on June 25, marking the second consecutive day that the record for the highest temperature in June has been broken.

French teachers' unions issued a joint statement on June 25, criticizing authorities for "taking no action" despite warnings that "the health and working conditions of staff and students are at risk."

The teachers' unions have called for strikes to protest what they describe as "unacceptable working conditions."

However, Reuters pointed out that prolonged school closures could exacerbate social inequality.

Desiree Jongsma, a child rights expert at UNICEF, noted that many families lack the resources to individually care for or protect their children from the heat.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.