Controversy Over Air Conditioning Suspension During Heatwave
An elementary school in Incheon faced fierce protests from parents after temporarily suspending air conditioning in classrooms due to a lack of operating funds, even amidst a heatwave warning.
The school ultimately reversed this decision after just one day.
According to the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education on the 8th, the elementary school in question suspended the operation of air conditioning throughout the school, including classrooms, for about one hour from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM the previous day.
Additionally, after students had gone home, air conditioning in staff working areas, such as the teacher's office, principal's office, and administrative office, was also halted from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM.
Challenges Due to Budget Cuts
The decision arose from a decrease in the operating budget for the school.
The school's operating budget for this year is approximately 640 million won, which is a reduction of over 57 million won compared to last year. As a result, the school looked for ways to cut costs and decided to reduce the air conditioning operation hours.
The school announced this decision to reduce air conditioning hours to parents following an internal meeting held on the 4th. However, concerns from parents regarding the deterioration of their children’s learning environment due to the ongoing heatwave prompted the school to cancel the air conditioning suspension just one day after its implementation.
School's Position and Alternative Measures
A school official explained, "We temporarily halted air conditioning because we were concerned that this year's budget would be insufficient for heating costs in the winter."
They further stated, "Currently, air conditioning is functioning normally in classrooms," and added that they decided to use fans instead of air conditioning in staff areas like the teacher's office and administrative office for certain hours.
This incident highlights the intersection between educational environment improvement and school operating budget issues, emphasizing the importance of finding a balance to guarantee students' rights to learn during heatwaves while managing school budgets effectively.
Image Source: Reference photos for understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank
