Schools in Czech Republic Ordered to Turn Down Heat to Battle Fuel Shortage (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The current energy crisis brought on by the war between Russia and Ukraine forced the Czech Ministry of Health to draft an amendment that calls for lower temperature as well as fewer ventilation requirements in gyms and classrooms.
The justification for the adjustment also drafts a decree on hygienic standards for school premises, according to Ceskenoviny news website.
The Ministry of Health proposes to reduce the temperature outside the classrooms in schools and to ventilate less, reducing minimum heating temperature in school premises outside classrooms. For example, it could be 17 degrees Celsius in the gymnasiums or in the corridors instead of the current 18 and in the showers 21 instead of 24. In the classrooms it should remain at 20 degrees Celsius.
The country’s Ministry of Industry and Trade also proposed a special decree in August as a result of the energy crisis, which would have reduced the heating temperature of public spaces in the event of a gas supply failure.
The decree on hygienic requirements for school premises also specified the ideal heating temperature in addition to the minimum and maximum temperatures. It was set for gymnasiums at 20 degrees Celsius with a two-degree range, and for classrooms and restrooms at 22 degrees Celsius with a two-degree range.
The decree should only now specify the minimum and maximum temperatures rather than determining the ideal temperature.
The provision mandating that the decision to close the school because of winter also needs to be changed. Up until now, school activities have been suspended if the temperature in the classrooms falls below 16 degrees Fahrenheit on one day or below 18 degrees Celsius for three days in a row.
As of now, if the temperature inside the school building falls below the minimum set value for three days—below 20 degrees in classrooms and below 17 degrees in gymnasiums—holidays should be declared.
Meanwhile, a footage was posted on social media showing schools children sitting in a classroom while wearing blankets.
“It's only the beginning of October, but in Czech schools children are already sitting in blankets: there is no heating,” the tweet reads, adding, “Instead of buying gas for heating the school, the administration bought blankets for all students.”
