Fans inadequate to beat classroom heat, union says

By Kisean Joseph
kisean.joseph@antiguaobserver.com
The occasional fan is not enough to combat excessive heat in classrooms, the president of the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (A&BUT), Casroy Charles said.
The union president said teachers and students face sweltering conditions at this time of year. He warned that parents and the union may have to become more aggressive to get the Ministry of Education to act.
Charles told Observer Media that the ministry’s response so far has been limited.
He described teaching in those conditions as a “herculean task” for everyone in the classroom and added that teachers have waited patiently for a lasting solution, but he now has little confidence one is coming.
“Yes, occasionally they might install one or two fans. However, we know that is insufficient.
“Enough hasn’t been done, and it seems like it’s a lost cause in regard to the ministry adequately addressing the situation,” Charles said.
He said responsibility for pressing the matter now falls to parents and the union.
Charles did not outline what steps the union intends to take.
His remarks follow a pledge by Director of Education Clare Browne that safe and adequately resourced classrooms must remain a priority.
The National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA), led by President Alister Thomas, has also raised concerns about heat in schools.
The union’s concerns come more than two years after the government announced that work had begun to install air-conditioning units in government schools to combat rising temperatures that are affecting student learning.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing in July 2024, Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst said many older school buildings would need retrofitting, as they were originally designed to rely on natural cooling from sea breezes.
Hurst said also that the selection of schools would be methodical and practical, with the initial focus on classrooms requiring minimal adjustments to accommodate the units.