The double effect of high temperatures negatively affects schoolchildren's ability to learn, especially in the field of mathematics. This conclusion was reached by researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and the  University of New South Wales, Australia. The results of the study were published in the journal PLOS Climate.

The scientific analysis included data from almost 14.5 million schoolchildren from 61 countries. The analysis showed that children living and studying in hot climates performed worse on tasks requiring logic, abstract thinking, and concentration. Such skills are actively used in mathematics lessons. The ability to read and perform simpler tasks, however, was less affected.

Schoolchildren from low-income families were most vulnerable to the heat. They were more likely to attend schools where there was no air conditioning and did not have the opportunity for additional courses to strengthen their knowledge. As a result, it was this group of schoolchildren who showed the greatest decline in cognitive abilities.

According to the researchers, in the long term this could lead to a widening gap in education among young people. Also, they noted that learning in inappropriate conditions can slow down the intellectual development of entire generations and increase social inequality.

The authors of the study call for climate factors to be taken into account in education policies. Possible solutions include modernizing of schools’ cooling systems and reviewing of approaches toward the education process in the context of global warming.