“In consideration of the well-being of the learners affected by extreme climate conditions as they attend in-person classes, this office reiterates DepEd Order 037, Series of 2022, titled ‘Guidelines on the Cancellation or Suspension of Classes and Work in Schools in the Event of Natural Disasters, Power Outages/Power Interruptions and Other Calamities,” the DepEd said in its Memorandum No. 2023-077 dated April 20.
The DepEd statement was released in response to complaints of some students passing out or becoming lightheaded during class because of the intense heat. However, there are still schools that are implementing full face-to-face classes amidst the high temperature of 47 and 48 degrees Celsius of heat index in the middle of the day. This will affect how the students focus on class, especially in public schools that do not have any form of ventilation and only rely on natural ventilation.
When temperatures rise, students may become distracted, restless, and uncomfortable, making it harder for them to concentrate on their studies. One factor that can contribute to decreased focus and concentration in hot environments is temperature. High temperatures can make students feel physically uncomfortable, and this can be a distraction from learning. Students may become restless and agitated, making it harder for them to focus on their work. Looking at how DepED schools are designed, there is poor ventilation in their classrooms and too much concentration of students.
Poor air quality is also a factor that can affect student focus in hot environments. In poorly ventilated classrooms or spaces with high levels of pollutants, students may have trouble breathing and may feel tired or dizzy. This can make it hard for them to focus on their work and can lead to a decrease in academic performance. Discomfort is another factor that can affect student focus in hot environments. When students are hot and uncomfortable, they may be more likely to fidget, shift their attention, or become distracted. This can lead to a decrease in productivity and a lower quality of work. This will just lead to unproductive months of the summer season teaching.
Students' health, especially that of those who already have medical concerns, and their capacity to focus and learn can both be negatively impacted by extreme heat. Schools and other educational institutions need to have policies and rules in place to protect their students' health and safety in hot weather. This can entail altering class schedules, providing air conditioning or fans, making sure kids have access to water and shaded locations, and keeping an eye on the heat index to gauge when it's appropriate to limit outdoor activity.
To us, the proper solution is to return to the pre-pandemic school calendar that starts in June and ends in March to evade the scorching summer heat. But the Department of Education has other plans, they released a memorandum saying that they will just move to distance learning or modular learning when the heat becomes too unbearable to students. They are basically passing the problem to the parents at home. Even when at home, the temperature is still unbearable and not all household has air conditioning units or even ample amounts of fans to ease the heat.