When can students go home?
Associations call for uniform heat-free rules
7/20/2023 7:51 am
According to the Parents’ Council, the ideal learning temperature is 21 degrees Celsius – a value that is currently far exceeded in Germany. But how should schools react when it is too hot? So far there are no uniform rules.
When does it say in school: finally heat-free! There are no uniform requirements in the Federal Republic. Trade unions and parents’ representatives are campaigning for uniform rules – and in view of the hot summers expected in the future, they are also calling for more heat protection in schools overall. “We have to preventively counter the rising temperatures that are coming our way with climate change,” said Anja Bensinger-Stolze from the board of directors of the Education and Science Union (GEW).
“Today, every federal state regulates completely differently when there can be a heat-free period,” said Bensinger-Stolze. This is often left to the individual schools. “Here a standardization would be desirable, so that there can be heat-free from a certain temperature.” The Federal Parents’ Council also called for uniform standards instead of a federal “patchwork quilt”, as chairwoman Christiane Gotte said. “We would like it if it were uniform across the country,” says Gotte. “The ideal learning temperature is 21 degrees Celsius.” The chairperson of the parents’ council named around 25 degrees in the shade outside at 10 a.m. as a possible guideline for heat-free. “Then parents can also prepare for it.”
A look at the countries shows that the schools usually decide in each case, taking the local situation into account and not simply sending the children home. In Bavaria, for example, where the last week of school before the summer holidays begins on Monday, there is no general heat-free regulation above a certain temperature. According to the Ministry of Education, the school management should also make sure that the school transport is not endangered when making their decision. In Baden-Württemberg, a criterion for school management is an outside temperature of at least 25 degrees at 11 a.m. In North Rhine-Westphalia there is a room temperature of more than 27 degrees as a guide. There is no heat free program in the upper secondary level. And in Brandenburg, for example, heat can be given in elementary schools and secondary level I if 25 degrees are measured outside at 10 a.m. or inside at 11 a.m.
relocation outside
As an alternative to simply staying away from the heat, Gotte advocated moving classes or care outside when the temperature is high. Tomi Neckov, Vice-Head of the Education and Training Association (VBE), sees it similarly: “The VBE encourages its members to make the lessons flexible and, for example, to integrate places such as the school garden, the possibly nearby park or the forest more into the lesson.” This is particularly important for all-day schools. GEW representative Bensinger-Stolze also thinks that outdoor forms of teaching should be “tested more intensively”.
An information portal on heat, which went online a few weeks ago under the leadership of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach from the SPD, proposes, among other things, “shifting the lessons to cooler times of the day” in the case of great heat – for example by starting earlier, having a longer lunch break and ending the lesson later. Bensinger-Stolze advocates “flexible solutions,” as she said. “It is important to insulate the rooms better against heat,” said the trade unionist. VBE Vice Neckov called for heat protection to be taken more into account during renovation and school construction. Bensinger-Stolze also suggested equipping the schools with water dispensers and generous shaded areas.
And: “It is important that rooms can be well ventilated.” The President of the German Teachers’ Association, Stefan Düll, also sees a need for the federal and state governments here – because they should finance ventilation systems. Trade unionist Bensinger-Stolze sees the time as ripe for “a broad discussion about possible reactions in schools to extreme heat” – parents, students and employees should be involved.