Teachers find ways to deal with extreme heat

MANILA, Philippines — In Sariaya, Quezon, the extreme heat prompted a senior high school teacher to hold examinations in a shaded area of an open field in their school last week.

The viral post, which The STAR shared on its Facebook page, drew praise from many users, who cited the teacher’s “creativity” in dealing with the situation.

He was not alone – across social media platforms, teachers are sharing different actions that they take to ensure that students remain comfortable amid the hot weather.

In some cases, classes are held in shaded open areas where there is better ventilation. Many rely on electric fans and, for those who are fortunate, air conditioning units.

These are not true for everyone, however.

In some areas, such as in Metro Manila, where congestion is a problem, holding classes in open spaces is not always possible.

In Occidental Mindoro, where power outages reportedly last for as long as 20 hours on some days, classes in classrooms are held without any electric fan to help in ventilation.

Some Facebook users pointed out that “romanticizing” resilience, yet again, will not solve the problem in the long run.

“Welcome to another episode of Filipinos romanticizing the low-quality work of most public officials. Despite having the largest budget allocation and the nation’s Vice President serving as the current head of the department, the DepEd still struggles to provide a conducive and comfortable learning environment for all students, particularly in the context of our tropical climate,” one comment read.

“It’s almost as if we should give them a standing ovation and a round of applause for providing anything at all, but alas, our expectations remain unfulfilled,” it added.

Groups such as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) have repeatedly asked the Department of Education (DepEd) to immediately identify concrete actions to address the issue of extreme heat.

Last Monday, President Marcos himself said the government is studying calls to move the school break to its previous schedule.

“We will come up with a decision very soon (on) what is appropriate,” Marcos said, adding that the government must also find ways to make schools resilient to the effects of climate change.