Schools suspend or shorten classes as heatwave continues
The ongoing heatwave in the Canary Islands is forcing schools to take unprecedented steps to protect students, with several centres in Tenerife moving lessons online and one school in Lanzarote sending pupils home early.
In Tenerife, more than 2,500 pupils across seven schools are following online classes today (Friday) after the Canary Islands Department of Education authorised closures under its High Temperatures Protocol.
The schools affected are IES El Chapatal, IES Andrés Bello, IES Benito Pérez Armas, IES Teobaldo Power, IES Las Veredillas, the CIFP César Manrique vocational training centre, and the Escuela de Arte Fernando Estévez.
The move comes as Tenerife remains under a yellow alert for heat and calima, with the rest of the archipelago under orange alert. Temperatures are expected to reach a peak of 37°C in some areas.
Meanwhile, in Lanzarote, IES César Manrique in Arrecife advanced its finishing time to 12.30 pm after classrooms became unbearably hot. Parents said the lack of air conditioning, fans, or shaded spaces made the situation “chaotic”, with playground shade reduced further by ongoing construction work.
The regional High Temperatures Protocol allows schools to reduce hours, close buildings, or switch to online learning depending on the alert level. At the highest stage (red), centres are authorised to act quickly and suspend in-person teaching altogether.
Authorities say the measures are designed to protect the most vulnerable pupils, including young children and those with chronic conditions, during periods of extreme weather.
Health officials are reminding everyone across the islands to:
- Stay in cool, shaded or ventilated areas during the hottest hours.
- Drink water frequently, even if not thirsty, and avoid alcohol, energy drinks, or very sugary drinks.
- Eat light meals and replace salts lost through sweat.
- Wear loose, breathable clothing and keep blinds closed at home to block direct sunlight.
- Check on elderly people, children, and vulnerable neighbours.
With the heatwave expected to continue into the weekend, authorities are urging residents and tourists alike to take extra precautions against one of the most prolonged late-summer hot spells in recent years.
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