Unions urge teachers to strike as French school exams go ahead in up to 40C heat
Claims health of staff and children at risk as France struggles to adapt heat-trap school buildings
TL;DR
- Teachers in France are risking their health and students' in overheated schools during a severe heatwave.
- Education unions are urging staff to strike over "unacceptable working conditions" and a "blatant lack of preparation" by the government.
- Classroom temperatures have reached up to 40C, with many school buildings not designed for extreme heat and lacking air-conditioning.
- Authorities have closed thousands of schools and reduced hours at others, but national exams are proceeding.
- The education minister, Édouard Geffray, stated that exams will be held in the mornings with adaptations to manage the heat, prioritizing continuation over postponement.
- Some students and examiners have felt faint during oral exams, and students report difficulty revising in overheated homes.
- Emergency funding is being provided in some regions for cooling equipment, and some parents believe school is safer than hot homes.
- Unions are calling for a complete overhaul of school buildings and exam scheduling to address the increasing threat of heatwaves.