Heat-free in Rhineland-Palatinate: Schools fight against the summer heat!

Heat-free in Rhineland-Palatinate: Schools fight against the summer heat!

In recent weeks, the heat in Rhineland-Palatinate has pushed many schools and daycare centers to their limits. While temperatures over 30 degrees in classrooms make learning difficult, the question arises: When is there actually heat-free? Loud n-tv School management has the final say when it comes to the decision. If the room temperature is measured above 27 degrees, they can grant no heat, always based on their pedagogical discretion. It is important to note that primary schools and daycare centers do not have any binding requirements for heat-free conditions.

However, the circumstances at schools are very different. In Rhineland-Palatinate, many facilities are not equipped with air conditioning or even fans across the board, so the room equipment depends heavily on the respective school authority. The Education and Science Union (GEW) is therefore calling for a comprehensive modernization of school buildings in order to introduce adequate heat protection measures.

Drink and exercise in hot weather

The question of drinking options at high temperatures has also become more explosive. Drinks in daycare centers are usually covered by the meal allowance, while schools are increasingly setting up drinking fountains or water dispensers. Loud SWR However, there is no uniform concept for drinking water in sight, and there is no regulation as to whether physical education lessons take place outdoors or indoors in high heat. In addition, many teachers find going to the toilet disruptive, which makes it difficult to discuss drinking in class.

During the hot months, school hours are often affected by cuts. Some schools decide to shorten the lessons from 45 to 30 minutes in order to enable highly efficient learning under these conditions. The Ministry of Education in Rhineland-Palatinate emphasizes that the respective school principals know the climatic situation in their schools best, which is why there is no uniform regulation for heat-free, as many other sites report.

Student representatives and demands

The state student council demands no limits when it comes to clothing in order to promote the students' self-development. The GEW also states that it is urgently necessary to listen more to the concerns of the students. German Environmental Aid has also pointed out the situation and speaks of an investment backlog of 46 billion euros in school renovations as far as adaptation to the climate crisis is concerned. In this regard, the DUH is calling for a special funding program to make school buildings more heat-resistant. Students in Freiburg have already started a petition for better heat protection measures, as many classrooms heat up to over 30 degrees and exams should not take place under these conditions, which violates occupational health and safety guidelines.

The challenges that climate change poses for schools are great. In Cologne there were even reports that temperatures of over 46 degrees were measured in classrooms, which meant that many students were given no heat. The discussion about the correct response to heat waves is ongoing for good reason. Schools urgently need to be upgraded not only to protect the health of students, but also to provide teachers with a comfortable working environment. The GEW therefore calls for binding guidelines for occupational health and safety in educational institutions in order to meet these challenges.