Education Stakeholders Advised to Cancel Field Trips in Areas with Extreme Heat Index
The Department of Health (DOH) has advised education stakeholders to cancel field trips and outdoor activities for students in areas experiencing a heat index under the extreme danger category. According to a department circular, if an area is placed under the extreme danger category, with a heat index equal to or greater than 52 degrees Celsius, any organized outdoor or physically intensive activity should be called off.
The DOH recommended modality shifts in schools and workplaces as an alternative mode of learning and working in lieu of physical or onsite attendance. For areas under the danger category (42 to 51 degrees Celsius), activities for unacclimatized individuals and those at high risk for heat illness should be restricted. The DOH also suggested rescheduling activities to cooler times of the day and increasing rest periods, hydration breaks, and frequency of substitutions during practice and competition.
In areas under extreme caution (33 to 41 degrees Celsius), rescheduling of activities is recommended, with increased rest periods and hydration breaks. For areas under the caution category (27 to 32 degrees Celsius), activities should be restricted, but participants should be monitored for signs of heat illness.
The DOH highlighted that exposure to high heat and extreme temperatures can lead to heat-related illnesses such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, diarrhea, infections, asthma, and other injuries. It also noted that high and extreme heat may increase vulnerable workers’ susceptibility to injuries and illnesses.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) emphasized the need for the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure that all end-of-school-year rites in public schools are safe amid the extreme heat. The ACT urged the DepEd to provide supplementary funds to cover the necessary expenses for graduation and moving-up ceremonies.
Schools have maintenance and other operating expenses funding, but the ACT stated that these may only cover regular operation expenses and not the additional costs associated with safe ceremonies. The ACT called for a supplemental budget to improve classroom ventilation and school facilities to address the worsening conditions in classrooms during heat waves.
The ACT stressed the importance of sufficient funding for education to address the learning crisis and prepare the education system to respond to any issues that may arise. The aim is to build adequate classrooms and facilities, fill gaps in teachers and staff, and ensure readiness for any challenges in the education system.
