Effects of extreme temperature exposure on learning

This paper examines how sustained exposure to extreme temperatures affects student learning and exam performance in Cambodia. The analysis links high-resolution climate reanalysis data to administrative records on grade 12 national examinations from 2014 to 2023, covering over 730,000 students across 662 schools. Results were assessed across academic tracks (science and social sciences), gender, urban-rural status, baseline temperature, infrastructure quality, and subject areas.

The key findings show that sustained high temperatures during the school year significantly reduce test scores, but primarily for social science students, especially females, rural students, and those in cooler regions. Science track students and those in hotter areas displayed greater resilience, pointing to adaptation effects. The negative impacts, particularly for high-achieving social science students, were associated with increased failure rates and sharper learning losses in subjects requiring intensive reading and memorization. The authors recommend policy interventions such as improving classroom infrastructure, ventilation, and scheduling, alongside targeted support for vulnerable groups, to mitigate cumulative heat stress and strengthen the resilience and equity of education systems amid rising temperatures.