Alongside Fab Inc, we studied how classroom conditions and children’s ability to learn are affected by changes in temperature and rainfall in Tanzania. On the International Day of Education, we’re pleased to share the full report of our study. This work was by the Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
In 2023, our team looked at 48 schools with different climactic zones in the coastal, northern and central areas of Tanzania. We conducted two rounds of head teacher surveys and classroom observations. We also captured information from temperature sensors we placed in classrooms for four months. This allowed us to understand how different classroom conditions affect children’s learning across the country.
How temperature affects learning
We found that inadequate infrastructure leads to the build up of heat throughout the day, affecting children’s ability to learn. Indoor classroom conditions become increasingly warm towards the end of the school day. With more than half of the surveyed classrooms frequently exceeding 26.7°C, learning conditions are far from ideal.
How rainfall affects learning
Most of the schools report that heavy rains negatively affect school attendance. Challenges also arise once children are at school. About a third of classrooms surveyed experience flooding during the rainy season. Rainwater from the roof makes classrooms unusable, which has implications for students’ ability to learn, as well as their health and safety. Moreover, noise from the rain is cited as a big factor inhibiting students’ concentration. This reveals limitations in school infrastructure to deal with climactic conditions.
Improving classroom conditions
The report calls for investments in climate-adaptive infrastructure to keep classrooms cool, dry, and conducive to learning. Current deficiencies in classroom infrastructure in Tanzania must be addressed as it strongly affects students’ ability to learn and attend school. This is all the more relevant in light of climate change, which is expected to bring an increase in extreme heat and rainfall events.
Read the full report
Read the full report here and on our publications page:
