Heatwave: Schools transformed into ovens, the Ministry of National Education alerts its staff

Therefore, establishments must adapt their organization and the use of premises according to exposure to the sun to accommodate students in spaces protected from the heat.

In the event of a red alert, the prefectural authorities may decide to temporarily close certain educational establishments to guarantee the safety of students and staff.

Specific arrangements for the operation of schools may be decided in consultation with local authorities and where possible, parents may keep their children at home.

• Use shaded rooms where possible
• Limit heat entry into rooms
• Close the shutters and curtains on facades exposed to the sun all day long
• Ensure candidates have water
• Allow them to go out to quench their thirst

Furthermore, examiners are required to monitor the students' health, paying attention to certain signs: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and extreme fatigue. In the event of discomfort, teachers are required to alert first aid (SAMU), move the person to the shade or as cool as possible, and spray them with cool water.

In nursery and elementary schools, school principals must "identify the most exposed areas and adapt the organization and use of spaces according to exposure in order to accommodate students in areas protected from the heat (less exposed or protected facades, green and covered spaces, etc.). In addition, they must ensure that blinds or shutters are kept closed when the facade is sunny.

Teachers are reminded to adapt their organization, in particular by limiting physical activities and outings, or even canceling them during the hottest hours.

On Friday, the FCPE parents' association asked Education Minister Élisabeth Borne to urgently issue clear instructions, stressing that the majority of school buildings are unsuitable for extreme heat. "We have much higher temperatures than in recent days expected for Monday and Tuesday, up to 41 degrees," during the last week of classes for primary school students, explained Grégoire Ensel, vice-president of the FCPE, in an interview with AFP.

Some school closures have already been decided. This is the case in Tours, in Indre-et-Loire , where maximum temperatures between 36°C and 38°C are expected until midweek. All schools will be closed on the afternoons of the following Monday and Tuesday. The municipality strongly recommends that parents keep their children home during these two days.