A Position Paper on SCHOOLS CAN CALL OFF CLASSES DUE TO HEAT

By: Maricon U. Miranda

Strand: TVL-ICT 11

It’s summer season in the Philippines, everyone is experiencing high temperatures

every day because of it. Every summer season, Filipinos have to adapt the sudden changes of
temperatures. Every summer, most of the Filipinos spend their time on vacations like going to
beaches to relax and to relief the hotness that they experience; and because of the high
temperatures Filipino citizens are often prefer staying inside their houses. Like most students
they are complaining about the hotness and students wants a solution for this issue but how?

Temperatures can soar during summer months; This can make students and teachers
feel uncomfortable to attend school. This can cause students health problems when they feel
the hotness same as the teachers, they may also find it difficult to teach effectively when they
are feeling uncomfortable which leads to lose of concentration and less productive learning
environment.
Another reason is in some areas, temperatures can get so high that it becomes unsafe
to spend prolonged periods of time outdoors. Students may need to walk long distances just
to get to school and this can be dangerous in extreme heat. While many schools have air
conditioners, there are still some that do not and for some reasons running air conditioner
units can be expensive that can put a strain on the schools’ budget.
The DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said that principals and school heads had been
reminded that they have the authority and responsibility to suspend classes and switch to
alternative delivery models (ADMs) if it is hot and already affecting the health of our learners
and personnel. By calling off classes it can help to protect the health and safety of students
and staff, reduce energy consumption, and improve productivity.
In these cases, I agree that they should be call of classes due to heat; and if there is a
suspension of classes, they should switch to alternative delivery models such as answering
modules and having online classes so the learners can keep learning and gaining knowledge
even if they are at home.

I agree that there should be a call of classes since it affects learners and staffs
especially in some part of the country where in temperatures are high; and by doing this
program, safety will be secured, and it will lessen the cases of heat stroke and other sickness
due to hotness and too much exposure from the sun. Call of classes is a solution for the issues
due to high temperatures so that we can ensure that everyone remains safe and comfortable
during periods of extreme heat.