Inside a small classroom, 50 teenagers are trying to concentrate. One of the two ceiling fans is broken, and the standing fans only reach a few students.
Heart Cona, an 11th-grade student in General Santos City, Philippines, where a severe heatwave has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, said: “Imagine all 50 of us sharing just those fans. It’s like standing under the blazing sun on a summer day, except the heat stretches from morning to night.”
The 17-year-old describes the heat as making her feel like she might “melt away.” “Standing in the shade doesn’t help because the hot air surrounds you.”
Across Southeast Asia, the prolonged heatwave is causing schools to close. (Illustrative image).
The heat not only gives Heart and her classmates headaches and heat exhaustion but also makes learning “chaotic” as in-person classes are frequently canceled due to the heat.
According to analysts, the Philippines is not alone. Throughout Southeast Asia, the prolonged heatwave is causing schools to close, claiming dozens of lives and rewriting the region’s climate history.
Maximiliano Herrera, a climatologist and weather historian, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Hundreds of records have been shattered across Asia. We are witnessing something unprecedented in three centuries of climate science.”
“Absolutely crazy”
New records are being set everywhere. Temperatures in some areas of Laos have reached a new high of 43.2 degrees Celsius, while Myanmar has seen temperatures surpass 44 degrees Celsius.
In Thailand, conditions have become “absolutely crazy,” with records “being broken every day,” according to Herrera. The highest temperature recorded was 44.2 degrees Celsius in the northern region of Lampang, with temperatures exceeding 43 degrees Celsius in 16 provinces.
But temperature alone does not reflect the intensity of the weather; humidity must also be considered, as it affects the heat index (the temperature perceived by the human body). When humidity is high, it becomes much harder for our bodies to cool down as it hinders the evaporation of sweat. This can lead to exhaustion, heatstroke, and even death.
Cramps and exhaustion “can occur” if the heat index reaches 40 degrees Celsius, and above 50 degrees Celsius is considered “very dangerous,” with a risk of heatstroke. The elderly are particularly vulnerable because their internal temperature-regulating systems are less effective than those of younger people.
In the Philippines—where the government has canceled in-person classes at 47,000 schools—the heat index recorded on April 28 in Iba was 53 degrees Celsius.
Temperatures have consistently reached record highs in Thailand.
Meanwhile, in Bangkok—home to shopping centers with air conditioning—sunshade sales have skyrocketed, with the heat index reaching 52 degrees Celsius this week.
Dr. Roxy Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, stated: “The entire Indian Ocean-Pacific region is in a furnace.”
Professor Theepakorn Jithitikulchai, an economist and climate expert at Thammasat University in Bangkok, noted that April is typically the hottest month in the region, but this year the El Niño weather phenomenon has “pushed temperatures to record highs.”
He added: “El Niño also contributes to reduced rainfall, potentially leading to drought.”
According to the latest report from the World Meteorological Organization released last month, Asia is warming faster than the global average—nearly twice as fast since the 1961-1990 period. The agency added that the continent is “the region most severely affected by weather, climate, and water-related hazards in 2023.”
Nicholas Rees, the climate change program director at UNICEF’s East Asia and Pacific Regional Office in Bangkok, stated: “Unfortunately, the world, including Southeast Asia, is not prepared for the impending impacts. A collective effort on a large scale will be needed to establish the necessary systems to manage the effects of climate change.”
Widening the Gap
With limited resources and funding to address these issues, there are concerns that the infrastructure in many areas will struggle. Additionally, high temperatures will exacerbate existing inequalities.
While the wealthy work in air-conditioned offices, study in schools with air conditioning, and live in cool houses with air conditioning, this option is often unavailable or unaffordable for those in hardship.
Ann, 51, a street vendor selling lottery tickets on the bustling Phahonyothin Road in western Bangkok, said: “I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It feels like I’m sitting under a hair dryer on the hot setting.” With two children at home, she has no choice but to work in the sweltering heat.
“It’s hard to sit here all day in this heat,” she said while holding a colorful hand fan.
High temperatures have also been shown to slow brain cognitive function. In a 2020 study in the U.S., researchers found that students performed worse on standardized tests if they had been exposed to high temperatures the year before the exam.
Many are forced to work outdoors in extreme heat.
The study concluded that a school year that is 0.55 degrees Celsius hotter decreased learning outcomes by 1% that year—a nearly completely avoidable impact if classrooms had air conditioning.
Josh Goodman, an economist at Boston University and co-author of the study, said: “Climate change will widen the learning gap between hot and cool countries.”
Jay-Em Estrella, a science teacher at a private school in Quezon City, Philippines, completely agrees. While his classes struggle, the conditions in public schools that rely on fans are even worse. He is concerned about the long-term consequences for human development.
“We just recovered from the lockdown… and now classes are being suspended again. The education system has regressed, and now the heat feels like another dent on a car that is already full of scratches,” Estrella said.
