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Education Ministry outlines guidelines for school teachers to tackle heated classrooms

Oct 15, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – In light of the extreme heat the country is facing, the Ministry of Education (MoE) on Friday introduced several guidelines to be observed to ensure children and teachers are more comfortable in their classrooms during this period.

In a memorandum published this week, the MoE said it has taken note of the recent weather conditions of, “hot climatic temperature” in the country and several reports which indicate the effects of the high temperatures on the school population.

Against this backdrop, the ministry said head teachers and teachers should observe the guidelines, which are:

1.Schools and classrooms must be managed with enough flexibility to allow for comfortable and safe learning. This may mean that long established rules, customs, traditions, habits and practices need to be reviewed and adjusted.

2.Teachers should be allowed, if they so choose, to conduct classes outside of the building and/or outside of classrooms, if the outside or other spaces is cooler than inside.

  1. “Rules relating to students’ uniforms can be relaxed at the discretion of the school to ensure that students are more comfortable. Also, teachers are encouraged to dress in attire (light, loose clothing, sleeveless clothes etc.) which will help them to cope with the high temperature,” the memo stated.

Also the MoE said that in light of the heat condition, schools can give students additional short breaks during instructional time.

The ministry mentioned that students are encouraged to drink plenty of fluids regularly and that parents must ensure students bring one or more bottles of water/fluid.

Additionally, the ministry stated that teachers should get familiarized with signs of heat illnesses which may include: headache, dizziness and confusion, loss of appetite and feeling sick, excessive sweating, and pale, clammy skin, cramps in the arms and other body areas, fast breathing, and a high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above, to name a few.

“Teachers should avoid relying only on a fan when the indoor temperature is extremely high,” the ministry related. The MoE also cautioned against the lighting of fires in the school compounds.

Earlier this month, this newspaper had reported that during a meeting with President Irfaan Ali, teachers had appealed to the government to intervene to help schools cope with the discomfort of the heat in classrooms.

Teachers had highlighted the escalating heat in classrooms, making it arduous to teach effectively. They appealed to the Government for electric fans to alleviate the discomfort. One teacher from Kato, Region Nine, had explained, ‘with climate change, the place is very hot, and then we and our students have to walk very far.’

Imran Ally, Principal of Skeldon Secondary School and an Executive of the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU), echoed these concerns, emphasizing the adverse impact of heat on both students and teachers. To address this issue, he recommended insulating classroom walls and ceilings and installing fans.

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