Researchers publishing in Frontiers in Pediatrics investigated how indoor air quality in schools and kindergartens affects children's learning and health. The study examined classrooms worldwide, including in Asia, and found that many fall short of recommended air quality standards—despite looking clean and well-organised on the surface.
The research highlights a specific concern for young children: they spend 6–8 hours daily indoors at school, have higher metabolic rates than adults, and their lungs and immune systems are still developing, making them more vulnerable to poor air conditions.
Poor air quality directly weakens concentration and increases illness
The study found that classrooms with inadequate ventilation, improper humidity levels, and elevated carbon dioxide show measurable impacts: reduced student concentration during lessons, higher absenteeism from respiratory and other illnesses, and slower academic performance. These aren't minor effects—they directly shape how much children learn and retain each day.
In tropical Singapore, where schools rely heavily on air-conditioning, this becomes especially critical. Closed climate-control systems can trap stale air and pollutants if ventilation and maintenance aren't done properly. Combined with Singapore's occasional haze episodes, ensuring good indoor air quality is often more practical than opening windows or spending time outdoors.
Singapore's school environment makes air monitoring essential
The research emphasises that schools should maintain humidity levels between 30–60% and monitor carbon dioxide levels regularly. Most Singapore schools are climate-controlled, which provides comfort but only if systems are actively maintained and monitored. The study notes that many schools worldwide—likely including some locally—haven't implemented these checks as standard practice.
Children have no control over their classroom environment. Parents do have the power to ask questions and advocate for change, signalling to schools that indoor air quality matters just as much as class size or teaching quality.
Two steps to improve your child's school air quality
- Ask your school about ventilation systems, air-conditioning maintenance schedules, and whether they monitor CO₂ or humidity levels. Most schools aren't used to this question.
- Request that your school conduct or share results from indoor air quality assessments, and advocate for regular monitoring if none exists.