Tshepang Othusitse, the head of the Physical Education (PE) Department at Legae Academy in Gaborone, told Mmegi that the school management has, this week, cancelled outdoor afternoon activities due to the heat wave.
“We have also pulled out our team from the Independent Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSSA) athletics competition to be held in the coming weekend in Lobatse,” she said.
Another PE teacher, Chilume Ntshwarang, acknowledged that high temperatures pose a challenge, but on some days they simply proceed as though the temperatures are normal. ISSSA chairperson, Allec Maphosa, who is also a teacher at Botlhale Cambridge International School in Gaborone, said they monitor the weather and ensure there are several hydration breaks.
Maphosa affirmed that the ISSSA athletics competitions are set to proceed at the Lobatse Sport Complex. A teacher at one of the senior secondary schools in the central region described heat wave as a menace. “It gets worse when we go for periods six, seven, and eight, which are held around 1pm because our classrooms are not spacious enough to accommodate 30-40 students,” he said.
He noted that the Ministry of Basic Education lacks measures to address heat wave, likening the situation to a ticking time bomb. “It is also an equality issue because our most vulnerable students are the most susceptible to extreme heat," he said. "Do not be surprised when learners fail; the situation is challenging. Learners who lack air-conditioning at home struggle to sleep because the heat affects them,” he added.
