Students in Vrancea County, who have been studying in cold classrooms since returning from vacation, are demanding to switch to online learning. The Vrancea County Student Council has stated that the situation can no longer be tolerated.
Where possible, classrooms are being heated with electric radiators. Archive
Over 11,000 students and preschoolers in Focșani are enduring daily cold temperatures at school due to the accumulated debts of local authorities, forcing them to wear thick clothing to cope with the conditions. Representatives of the Vrancea County Student Council emphasize that this situation jeopardizes the students’ health and undermines their fundamental right to education.
“We strongly support that online education is the only appropriate option for students to have a safe and healthy environment. Given the current conditions, we urge the transition to online education to be expedited!” the students stated in a press release.
Students in Focșani: “Heat is not an optional subject!”
In protest, the Vrancea County Student Council has launched the initiative “Heat is not an optional subject!”, inviting students to come to school with blankets, gloves, and scarves, and then post photos on social media with the hashtag #Freezing.
“We urge the authorities to mobilize to ensure warmth in all affected schools and, until then, to provide students with the opportunity to learn online in a safe environment. Every day of delay means a lost day for our education,” stated Miruna-Elena Comănescu, the president of the Vrancea County Student Council.
Teacher: “Students attend classes with their jackets on”
Reporters from Adevărul discussed the situation with the principal of Ion Mincu Technological High School, one of the schools left in the cold.
“Some students have their jackets on, while others are seen wearing t-shirts. Because it’s not good either way, I suggested that everyone come dressed in hoodies,” said teacher Valentina Cucu. As for the school staff, they are using electric heaters and radiators to keep warm: “We heat the offices as best we can. We have heated a few classrooms using air conditioning units. But we don’t want to overload the electrical system,” added the teacher.
In Focșani, not only schools, kindergartens, and nurseries have been left in the cold. Heating has been stopped throughout the city. This comes after the city hall’s gas supplier disconnected the municipality’s firm due to outstanding debts.