A primary school in Argentina has made headlines by forcing students to wear swimsuits and flip-flops to school.
It was the worst heat wave ever seen in March.
According to a report by local media Infobae on the 3th (local time), Francisco Gurucha of Rosario, Argentina, came up with this alternative when his elementary school was unable to use air conditioning due to the continuous heat wave.
The school also considered virtual classes, but decided that it might be difficult for students to participate in classes due to a series of power outages.
We also considered the negative impact of dropping classes not long after the start of school after a long summer break.
As a result, the school decided to have the students wear swimsuits and flip-flops to cool off by spraying water with a hose in the school garden during breaks.
We also organized a unique class explaining why these unprecedented heat waves occur and what are the consequences of climate change.
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The response from students and parents to this decision was enthusiastic.
One parent supported the school's decision, saying in an interview on local TV, "I'm glad my kids don't miss classes, and I think it's a very good idea."
Rosario's teachers' union also said it was a good alternative if the water supply was good, there was enough power for classes, or if students were sure it was safe to return to school, but other schools that did not meet safety standards should be suspended.
Meanwhile, Argentina is grappling with an unprecedented heat wave as temperatures soar to record levels.
In the first week of March, the maximum average temperature in the central region was close to 3~30°C, which is 40 to 8 degrees higher than usual.
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In particular, on the 12th, the felt temperature in the capital Buenos Aires region rose to 39°C~44°C, breaking the record for the highest temperature in 117 years.
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The ongoing heat wave increased electricity usage, leading to large-scale power outages.
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On the afternoon of the 13th, 12,30 households were without electricity in the metropolitan area alone, and more than 10 schools in the Matanza area of Buenos Aires Province alone were closed due to problems with water and power supply.
As a result, the Argentine Meteorological Service (SMN) issued a heat wave red alert and said, "We expect higher than normal temperatures to continue for the foreseeable future," and urged people to "avoid going out between 4 a.m. and <> p.m., the hottest time of the day."
(Photo= @SMN_Argentina Twitter, AP/Yonhap News)