By: Ban, Myrelle
87% of teachers in Metro Manila describe the current heat as unbearable, hindering students’ ability to concentrate, according to a recent survey conducted by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers of the Philippines – National Capital Region (ACT-NCR) involving 8,605 teachers from all DepEd divisions in Metro Manila from March 6 to 10.
The survey also reveals that 77% of respondents suffer from extreme heat in classrooms, with only 46% of classrooms having one to two electric fans, highlighting the lack of ventilation in Metro Manila classrooms.
Ruby Bernardo, the President of the ACT-NCR Union, expressed concern over both teachers and students suffering from dizziness and headaches due to the intense heat and emphasized the need to avoid a recurrence of last year’s incidents where numerous individuals were rushed to school clinics due to nosebleeds or, worse, loss of consciousness.
“The shortage of health facilities and personnel in schools remains a big issue in addressing this situation, especially with poor ventilation in classrooms and overcrowding due to large class sizes,” Bernardo added.
ACT-NCR also mentions that survey respondents proposed several strategies to improve the uncomfortable conditions in classrooms, including allowing teachers and students to wear light and comfortable clothing suitable for hot weather, providing free water to stay hydrated throughout the school day, and implementing asynchronous classes or other flexible learning methods to reduce exposure to extreme heat.
Bernardo stressed the need to construct sufficient classrooms, hire additional teachers and education support staff, and establish a climate crisis-resilient environment to enhance learning conditions.
Furthermore, she admitted that it requires a sufficient budget, which the education sector has long demanded from the government.
