The 2 July was Luxembourg’s hottest day of the year with 36°C registered in the capital city, which prompted 44 municipalities across the country to cut teaching at primary schools for health and safety reasons.
38 of those municipalities cancelled afternoon classes while the remaining six had a whole day off, less than two weeks before the start of the summer holiday.
The government could have stepped in and mandated all schools to close, Education Minister Claude Meisch said in answer to a parliamentary question from deputy Marc Goergen, as it did in the cold snap of January 2024, but decided not to.
A committee with members from the the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS), MeteoLux, the Water Management Administration (AGE) and the High Commission for National Protection (HCPN) met twice to discuss the weather forecast and decided not to recommend nationwide action, Meisch said. He added that closing schools last January was appropriate because icy and snowy conditions made the journey to and from school potentially dangerous.
Most schools are, however, well insulated and in the heat might have been cooler than children’s own homes, the minister said, and therefore it was appropriate to leave the decision to close to local councils.
“Schools provide a safe environment, where teachers can ensure students follow health recommendations from the health ministry, such as drinking plenty of water, avoiding direct sun exposure and reducing physical exertion. In this context, locally adapted measures decided by municipalities are more appropriate,” Meisch said.
In answer to a different parliamentary question, Meisch also confirmed that there is no mandated minimum and maximum temperature window in which schools need to stay open, and that the government is not considering mandating air conditioning across all Grand Duchy schools.
The children of Dudelange (only Cycle 1 – early education), Feulen, Kayl, Mertert, Roeser and Rumelange had a day off on 2 July.
Meanwhile, students had just the afternoon off in the following: Beckerich, Bertrange, Bettendorf, Betzdorf, Billek, Bissen, Biwer, Clervaux, Consdorf, Dalheim, Dippach, Dudelange (Cycles 1–4), Echternach, Ell, Frisange, Garnich, Grevenmacher, Groussbus-Wal, Hobscheid, Junglinster, Kehlen, Kopstal, Lenningen, Lintgen, Mersch, Mertzig, Mondercange, Niederanven, Preizerdall, Redange, Rosport-Mompach, Sandweiler, Schifflange, Schuttrange, Stadbredimus, Steinfort, Troisvierges and Useldange.
