Classes in Cebu public schools cancelled until further notice due to extreme heat

CEBU CITY – Classes in public schools in the province of Cebu have been suspended due to the extreme heat.

Emphasizing that the extreme heat is risky for students, Gov. Gwen Garcia on Friday, April 5, issued a memorandum ordering mayors and the Department of Education to suspend classes.

“Due to the unusually high heat index in Cebu province, posing a risk to the well-being of our students, all classes are suspended until further notice,” Garcia said.

Some local government units in Cebu have already suspended classes due to extreme heat.

“This decision aligns with similar suspensions declared by other mayors within the province,” Garcia said.

Mayor Michael Rama here has yet to order the suspension of classes but has announced that he will issue an executive order (EO) cancelling classes.

The EO will propose that schools start classes at 6 a.m. and end at 11 a.m. to protect not just students but also teachers from the extreme heat.

“I am now preparing an executive order to really bring that operationalization about changing the time of going to school,” Rama said over Sugboanon Channel.

Rama said changing the schedule of classes was agreed upon during a meeting with Department of Education (DepEd) representatives.

He said adjusting the schedule of classes is a “paradigm shift” that has to be taken to address the effects of climate change and  global warming.

The mayor  asked the police and barangay officials to deploy personnel in schools to help monitor the situation.