Noise in Schools: The Silent Thief of Focus, Health and Achievement

In classrooms everywhere, there’s persistently one common problem that affects teachers and students- noise. In Accra, Nairobi or London. The continuous shuffle of pupils’ feet, coupled with the rumble of traffic and the din of nearby construction, frequently interferes with the teacher’s audibility during lessons. This anathema silently becomes a global impediment to effective teaching and learning in schools.

Noise pollution is defined by the World Health Organization (2021) as “unwanted sound that causes discomfort, interferes with communication or interrupts personal and environmental well-being conditions.” In a school, this definition has practical urgency given that noise, unwanted, does not just distract but reduces comprehension and destroys focus.

Moreover, research consistently demonstrates that high levels of noise within a classroom have both an academic and psychological impact. For example, Fretes and Palau (2025) showed that the longer exposure to noise in the classroom limits reading comprehension and memory, increases stress and listening effort. Mealings et al., 2024) reported hearing-impaired teachers experienced greater vocal strain, emotional exhaustion, and lower job satisfaction when they worked in noisy conditions.

The evidence is clear: noise isn’t simply an environmental irritant – it is a pedagogical challenge that interferes with the purpose of education. To get a better handle on the issue, we need to know that noise in schools comes from two sources: external and internal.

External noise, on the one hand, is outside the school setting like vehicles and motorcycles passing by, construction activities, markets organized near to schools or community based or religious activities. Internal, noise by contrast originates from within the school and is generally a result of: too many children in a classroom pupil noise inadequate management of classrooms & compound schools where lessons are conducted simultaneously.

Background noise in teaching environments of not more than 35 decibels (dB) is recommended by the World Health Organization (2021). Yet Mealings (2023) indicate that in most classrooms, especially those based in urban and developing settings there is sound levels of 80-90 dB. For perspective, that’s roughly as loud as heavy traffic or a busy street.

As a result, high noise levels impact learners and teachers in various ways. learners, for instance cannot hear instructions well or keep information in a good way. Fretes and Palau (2025) concludes that long-term exposure to background noise leads to attention, working memory, and comprehension impairments. In addition, young children who are developing listening and language skills are particularly at risk from these effects.

It is important appreciating the that, teachers are not immune to these pressures. The strain of having to constantly shout over background noise causes hoarseness, stress and headaches (Mealings et al, 2024). With time, these conditions not only have an impact on teacher’s health but also erode their teaching quality and motivation.

Furthermore, noise impacts the psychological environment of classrooms. If deafening noise is the norm, discipline suffers, as students increasingly come to associate learning not with focus but with confusion. This leaves teachers frustrated, and there goes that sense of being in control necessary for sound learning not slipping away.

In other words, classroom noise dents the very concepts that underpin education: clarity, concentration and serene communication.

Challenges

Even though noise is a well-known problem for teachers, there are some long-surviving wave fronts that make the battle not easy at all.

• Poor School Siting: First of all, schools are built near roads, lorry parks and markets without any environmental sound testing. Consequently, classrooms are consistently exposed to external sources of noise over which teachers have no control.
• Overcrowded Classrooms: Furthermore, poor pupil-teacher ratios at various schools mean that it becomes nearly impossible to sustain a quiet studying atmosphere. With 50 students packed into one room, little voices and activity are a given.
• Weak Infrastructure and Acoustic Design: In addition, the majority of schools buildings have no ceiling gypsum boards and thick walls or acoustic insulation. For this reason, sound passes quickly between rooms and open-compound school designs only exacerbate the issue.
• Limited Teacher Preparation: What is more, even teacher education programs do not provide training to manage classroom acoustics nor preventing the teacher’s voice. Therefore, many teachers have reacted by shouting too much – a bad fix that only raises the general noise level.
• Cultural Tolerance of Noise: Lastly, in various cultures noisiness is nearly always equated with being ‘up and coming’ and joining in. Cheering, clapping and loudspeakers at school events are considered expressions of zeal. Unfortunately, this societal embrace of noise promotes interruption and mitigates the importance of silence to learning.

Recommendations

But that doesn’t mean schools can’t take significant measures to reduce the noise and make spaces calmer, more effective learning environments.

• Facilitate the Calm and Focused Culture: Leadership needs to model this behaviour for starters. Head teachers must set out what respectful and silent-learning looks like. Teaching students to appreciate silence in the classroom and allowing for “quiet times” for reading can also help transform school culture in that direction, if only slowly.
• Rethink Classroom Layouts: Secondly, the classroom design can be adapted in practical ways to achieve a change. Seating students in a way that strategically positions desks and even incorporating curtains or bulletin boards to help absorb sound, as well as keeping doors and windows closed during learning time can greatly contribute to decreased noise levels.
• Use Non-Verbal Communication Techniques: Also, teachers need not shout in order to control behaviour- they can use hand signals, rhythmic claps or short bell tones. These non-verbal prompts are effective in capturing attention without the use of the teacher’s voice.
• Care for the Teacher’s Voice: In addition, teachers need to value their voices as professional instruments. Avoiding speaking too loudly, keeping well-hydrated and having a break between lessons will help you avoid vocal wear and tear. Schools may incorporate voice care education into staff development training as well.
• Collaborate with Parents and Communities: Finally, schools need to involve the local community in noise control. Talking with neighbouring churches, mosques and businesses can lead to mutual understanding about keeping noise levels down when school is in session. PTAs can also finance small upgrades, like planting trees or laying ceiling boards to soak up noise.

Conclusion

Noise pollution is a global educational problem that impacts on the quality of learning, teachers’ experiences and school ethos. It’s not just a sound thing -it’s about focus and effectiveness. Research supports the notion that schools with more peaceful environments see better understanding, control and teacher satisfaction (Fretes & Palau, 2025; Mealings, 2023; Mealings et al., 2024).

Thus, making classrooms calmer is not about quieting joy but about opening up space for comprehension. Each bit of unnecessary noise reduction benefits attention, communication and the bottom line of achievement.

A dead silent classroom is not dead – it’s alive with purpose, inquisitiveness, and inspired learning.

WRITTEN BY: WISDOM KOUDJO KLU, COLUMNIST /EDUCATION EXPERT, GREATER ACCR REGION.

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