As the temperature hovers close to 50 degrees, foreign international schools here are rescheduling and shortening the period of their classes to safeguard the health of their students, especially those in kindergarten and elementary grade. Asian international schools, particularly Philippine schools, have already shortened school working hours. “We have taken this self-scheduling move to protect the health of our school children in these crucial times because it is important that we consider first and above all the welfare of the students,” said Dr. Ed Malagapo, CEO and principal of the Al-Andalus International School in Al- Khobar (AAIS), which has around 400 enrolled Filipino students. Other international schools within the Greater Dammam area, including the two Philippine schools in Dammam and Al-Khobar, have also cut the time of classes. Most of the foreign international schools have rescheduled the timing of their classes to start at 7 A.M up to 12 noon with classes shortened to between 30 minutes to 45 minutes, depending upon the level of the students. Those in the higher level, like secondary, have classes shortened between 40 to 45 minutes instead of the usual one hour per class. Some schools have also sent advisory to parents informing them that if the temperature crosses 50 degree Centigrade, classes are automatically suspended. “In the event that classes are suspended, we will provide study package for the student that they can work on while the classes are off; the study package will compensate for the lost hours,” Malagapo said. Dammam has been forecast as the hottest part of the Kingdom, with maximum temperature of 48 degrees Celsius already reached, according to the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment. Bahrain's temperature has hovered around 40 degrees Celsius, but during the past few days temperature has hovered about 50 degrees Celsius , according to Manama's Meteorology Center. Kuwait experienced the hottest period this summer with a recorded temperature of 51 degrees Celsius. Other parts of the Kuwait have registered temperatures as high as 54 degrees Celsius.
