94% of Alicante Classrooms Exceeded Safe Temperature Limits During Heatwave

Nearly All Monitored Classrooms Over Safe Temperature

A study by the STEPV education union has found that 94% of monitored classrooms in Alicante exceeded 27°C during the recent heat episode — the temperature above which Spain's workplace safety recommendations consider conditions unsuitable for sedentary environments such as offices and classrooms. Many rooms went further still, with temperatures surpassing 30°C during parts of the school day.

Alicante recorded some of the worst results across the entire Valencian Community, with conditions that the union described as "unsustainable".

Direct Impact on Children's Learning

The STEPV union warned that classroom heat conditions "directly affect concentration, learning performance and general wellbeing" — a concern that goes beyond simple discomfort. For children sitting in rooms pushing 30°C or above for hours at a time, the impact on their ability to focus and absorb information is significant.

Heatwaves in Spain are arriving earlier in the year and lasting longer than in previous decades, meaning the problem is not confined to the final weeks of the school year. Several Spanish schools have already been adjusting timetables and implementing heat protocols, but critics argue these are reactive measures rather than structural solutions.

What Unions and Parents Are Demanding

The STEPV union, alongside parents' associations, is jointly pushing for urgent investment in educational infrastructure. Key demands include:

• Improved ventilation systems in school buildings
• Solar protection measures and shaded playgrounds
• Cooling infrastructure installed in classrooms
• Delivery of long-promised infrastructure improvements
• National guidelines setting maximum classroom temperatures

The absence of national standards for maximum classroom temperatures is a key frustration — without binding limits, there is no legal obligation on schools or regional governments to act when readings exceed recommended thresholds.

This article is based on reporting from Euro Weekly News, published May 9, 2026.