Education Ministry Provides Heat Safety Guidelines for Schools

The Ministry of Education and Youth is encouraging school administrators to take proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff as the soaring temperatures persist.

In a bulletin issued recently, the Ministry recommended several heat safety protocols that are to be implemented based on individual school circumstances.

These include the development of guidelines for outdoor activities and sports during hot weather, by adjusting school schedules to minimise such events during the hottest parts of the day or rescheduling to cooler times.

Students and staff should have access to shaded areas where possible, and every effort should be made to eliminate the need to have students stand in the sun for long periods, such as for general assembly.

Administrators should ensure that students and staff have access to clean and safe drinking water, encourage regular water breaks and educate students about the importance of staying hydrated.

As such, water storage facilities must be checked regularly, water response protocols reactivated, water stock at the canteen/tuck shop bolstered, hydration facilities increased where possible, and students asked to take water to school.

In addition, parents/guardians should be encouraged to provide their children with reusable water bottles or coolers, so that they can stay hydrated throughout the day.

The bulletin also speaks to the promotion of sun-safety education and protection by encouraging the use of sunscreen, hats, and umbrellas to protect against the sun’s harmful rays, especially as students commute to and from school.

Students and staff should be encouraged to walk and congregate in shaded areas as much as possible.

The provision of professional development opportunities for teachers and staff on heat safety and how to adapt their teaching practices during hot weather is also recommended.

Key stakeholders are to be trained to recognise the signs of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, faintness, muscle pain, cramps, nausea, confusion, abnormal sweating, and weakness should not be ignored, and school leaders should remind or establish a clear protocol for responding to such emergencies.

Empowerment sessions will be coordinated with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to support schools further in this regard.

The Education Ministry, in its bulletin, said it is important to monitor students’ health during hot weather and parents should be encouraged to do the same at home.

School administrators are to communicate with parents about any heat-related concerns and changes that will require urgent action on their part.

Schools are further advised to consider using traditional and creative measures to keep out direct sunlight where necessary.

These include installing fans in classrooms and common areas where possible or air-conditioning units.

Windows and doors can also be opened for ventilation without compromising security.

The wearing of cotton clothing, which is known to soak the sweat, dampen the clothes and ultimately cool the skin, should be encouraged.

Where possible, schools are advised to consider re-examining the dress code, through consultation with stakeholders, and communicate with parents and guardians regarding any changes in school schedules or policies related to hot weather.

Schools must also work with the Regional Building Officers to improve the heat resilience of school infrastructure where possible, including the construction of shaded areas, installation of awnings, and the planting of shade trees.