Public schools in the province of Ilocos Norte are set to receive more electric fans on Friday to help teachers and learners cope with the summer heat.

Department of Education (DepEd) – Ilocos Norte supply officer Marlon Macalma confirmed this on Friday after the turnover of a total of 3,086 electric fans to the three school divisions of the province.

“We plan to distribute the electric fans starting today,” Macalma said after DepEd personnel and officials personally received the electric fans from Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc in front of the provincial capitol here Thursday afternoon.

“Our basis for the distribution of electric fans was upon the request of the three school divisions (Ilocos Norte, Batac City, and Laoag City). We give whatever they request from us,” Manotoc said in a media interview.

He said the DepEd officials earlier requested electric fans to help teachers and learners cope with the summer heat.

Funded by the Ilocos Norte government, more than PHP5 million has been allowed for the immediate purchase of electric fans.

Several schools in this city have suspended in-person classes for at least two days a week and switched to distance learning.

Other remote schools in the province also opted to conduct classes under the shade of trees instead of doing it inside classrooms with poor ventilation.

“We could hardly stand the hot weather and it is already affecting the health of our learners and personnel,” said Aileen Rambaud, principal of the Salanap Elementary School in Pinili town.

Rolen Oracion, principal of the San Nicolas Elementary School also reported on Thursday that some of their students experienced breathing difficulties and complained that the afternoon heat was “too much for them to bear.”

As a result, Oracion said some of their students have been “cutting classes” in the afternoon.

As of this posting, the DepEd is considering the return of the old school calendar and reverting to the April-May summer vacation for students. (PNA)