Educational institutions across Saint Lucia are implementing emergency adjustments to safeguard students’ health, comfort, and concentration during an ongoing period of intense heat.
Principals and educators are relaxing traditional classroom rules to ensure constant access to drinking water. At Saint Mary’s College, Principal Neal Fontenelle announced that students are now permitted to drink water during class instruction.
Schools are actively encouraging students to report symptoms of heat distress immediately, including dizziness, headaches, nausea, weakness, extreme fatigue, or fainting.
Schools are leveraging natural cooling methods while adjusting physical activities to manage high temperatures. Saint Mary’s College is utilizing natural tree shade, large windows, fans, and strong cross-ventilation to mitigate heat, with some instructors conducting classes outdoors beneath trees.
Addressing the feasibility of full air conditioning, government officials explained that equipping entire campuses with air conditioning is financially unviable due to high installation costs, heavy energy requirements, and competing infrastructure priorities. He added that prolonged exposure to air-conditioned environments may also cause discomfort for some students.
