Schools battle with high temperatures

As schools reopen across the country, students and teachers are battling with high temperatures.

Speaking with Newsday, TTUTA president Martin Lum Kin said the hottest part of the day is between 10 am and 3 pm.

"Learning cannot take place when temperatures are too high. The children will not be able to retain any knowledge and will be distracted and uncomfortable."

Lum Kin said school administrators have been encouraged to assess the situation during the course of the day and take the necessary measures to ensure students' safety, which included ensuring teachers and students remain hydrated.

The TTUTA president said this "may require them allowing the students to access rehydration liquids, whether it be water or any other liquid,
in between break periods."

He said the responsibility also falls to principals to assess whether the classrooms are too hot.

He acknowledged that installing air conditioning in schools may not be a feasible solution, as

the load on the electricity grid may cause problems.

However, he hopes the Education Ministry will help.

"We are hoping that the Ministry of Education would take that into consideration and would assist schools in getting any sort of instrument that would help reduce the heat and the temperature in the classroom"

He said while schools would generally seek the assistance of stakeholders in acquiring fans or air conditioning, this should not be the duty of teachers.