Trade unions demand climate reform in Luxembourg schools
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The teachers' union SEW/OGBL has issued an open statement that the heat in school premises is jeopardising the health of both pupils and staff.
According to them, temperatures in some classrooms are reaching dangerous levels, making full learning impossible. The lack of clear and unified instructions from the Ministry of Education (MENJE) is particularly worrying, despite the fact that individual schools and communal authorities have already started introducing early closures and cancellations.
However, this does not solve the problem in primary schools: children still stay after school in overheated maisons relais where conditions are no better.
The union calls on the Ministry of Education and communal administrations to take responsibility and urgently develop a strategy to adapt school infrastructure to the effects of climate change. Specific proposals include:
- Thermal insulation of existing school buildings
- Installation of portable fans
- Greening of school yards and roofs
- Provision of cooled areas for pupils and staff to rest
- Installation of efficient ventilation in all classrooms
- Guaranteed access to drinking water in every room
SEW/OGBL is also calling for a national heatwave protocol - to eliminate piecemeal solutions where some schools cut classes while others continue to operate at full capacity.
The union is ready for a constructive dialogue with the ministry to make schools more resilient to climate challenges. And, as SEW/OGBL emphasises, this is not a matter of luxury, but of safety and equity.
