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In order to be able to teach properly in the future, even during hot periods, solutions are needed.
We remember: in mid-August, Switzerland was groaning under the heat wave with temperatures well over 30 degrees. Heads were also spinning at school. Normal teaching was no longer possible in many places and a special program was necessary.
The “Espresso” editorial team from the city of Zurich received an example of extreme heat: the Leutschenbach school – a modern school building with large glass fronts that opened in 2009 – was sweating like it was in an incubator. “The heat didn’t leave the building even at night,” remembers school principal Lars Bollhalder to the SRF consumer magazine. Early in the morning there were already temperatures of over 30 degrees in the school rooms.
Measures are necessary
Compared to the 1980s, Switzerland has become around two degrees warmer, explains Reto Knutti, climate researcher at ETH Zurich. “We used to have five to ten hot days with over 30 degrees in lower altitudes, but today we have 20 to 30 hot days in many places.” Geneva even registered 41 hot days last year. “It will continue to develop like this,” says the climate researcher.
You can do this in an afternoon or two. But we are obliged to achieve the learning goals.
“We are obliged to achieve the learning goals,” says Dagmar Rösler, Switzerland’s top teacher. The umbrella association of teachers in Switzerland (LCH) has long been calling for uniform guidelines for a good indoor climate in school rooms. One or two days of extreme heat can be bridged. In the long term, however, switching to basement rooms or outside is not a solution.
The Swiss Association of School Heads is also calling for measures. President Thomas Minder tells “Espresso”: “There are school buildings that heat up very quickly and retain the heat for a long time.” Considerations need to be made in terms of cooling or insulation. The municipalities are responsible.
We would be wise not to extend the summer holidays indefinitely.
Do you need longer summer holidays?
Headmaster Lars Bollhalder from the Leutschenbach school is also suggesting changes to the summer holidays as a possible measure. Maybe the summer holidays need to be extended. The head school principal, Thomas Minder, waves this off: Studies show that children in countries with very long summer holidays forget a lot of what they have learned and “shelve it,” as Minder says. “We would be wise not to extend the summer holidays indefinitely.”