Planning for the 2025 hot season, following the 2024 burning summer across Asia, the authorities in Singapore are weighing the option of home-based learning, if it gets too hot for students to attend school.
In March last year, many Singapore schools had advised students to dress in physical education (PE) attire for an indefinite period of time, in view of the high temperatures, reported The Straits Times.
This year, Singapore schools could shift to partial or full home-based learning to counter the heat, said a CNA report. Moreover, air-conditioned spaces such as indoor sports halls would be open to the public, as a refuge from heat.
CNA said that these plans were announced by the interagency Mercury Task Force yesterday. This task force, formed in 2023, makes and implements plans to counter heatwaves in Singapore. Its members come from 37 government agencies, including the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
Since temperature and humidity can combine to create a lethal heatwave, Singapore — like many other nations around the world — takes into a variety of factors, using the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) indicator.
In case of a heatwave, the Singapore authorities could minimise outdoor activities between 11am and 4pm; relax the school dress; and repurpose air-conditioned spaces to give people relief.
“If the national posture is to adopt heightened measures, MOE will guide schools to go on either partial or full home-based learning so as to not disrupt students’ learning,” said the Mercury Task Force, as quoted by CNA.
Air-conditioned spaces distributed across neighbourhoods will provide relief to those who have no AC at home, or need a cooling break during their work day. “The plan is for these locations to be situated across or spread around Singapore so there is easy access to these facilities,” said the Mercury Task Force.
Definition of a heatwave in Singapore
In Singapore, the definition of a heatwave is three consecutive days with a highest daily temperature of 35 degree Celsius or more, and three consecutive days of an average daily temperature of 29 degree Celsius or more.
“Singapore has experienced six historical heatwave events, with the most recent one in 2016,” reported CNA.
March to May is generally the hottest period in Singapore, and the year 2024 saw high temperatures that rivalled those in 2019 and 2016. “There were 21 days of high heat stress, most occurring in March, April and May,” said CNA.
