Heat-Day-Off Debate in Canton Zurich: Schools Act on Their Own Authority, Education Office Waves It Through

For children of working parents, the Meilen school organized a special program with teachers remaining on site. Walser also tried to organize ice cream (Glacen) for the students, but was unable to find a refrigerated vehicle that week.

Volksschulamt Disagrees: No Legal Basis

In response to the schools' unilateral decisions, the cantonal Volksschulamt made clear that schools have a duty of supervision. «Deshalb findet Schule auch bei Hitze statt», said office director Myriam Ziegler. Furthermore, there are no legal bases in Canton Zurich for heat vacations. The office also lacks the legal basis for a «Hitzefrei light» (light heat day off), and regularly points out the framework to schools.

The heat day off regulation in Canton Zurich was already abolished in the 1980s. In 1974, the NZZ still wrote that heat vacations were outside the regular timetable but remained rare at temperatures above 30 degrees. This rarity has since been lifted according to Meteo Swiss assessments – hot days are no longer a «Rarität» (rarity).

A Look at History: From Rare Heat Vacations to the New Normal

Walser acknowledged that the Meilen school board's decision did not comply with the Volksschulamt's guidelines. Morning classes take place, and the duty of supervision remains upheld. He expressed confidence that flexibility would prevail and that children might come to school with their «Gspänli» (playmates), even if they did not have to.

Ziegler pointed out that schools have already proposed various creative approaches to mitigating heat – from foot baths and Glacen production to relocating classes to the forest and water fights. However, municipalities are responsible for the structural and analytical preparation for future hot days.

Political Debate: Sponge City versus Air Conditioning

In the city of Zurich, the red-green majority in the city parliament wants to advance sponge city measures, unseal schoolyards, and plant trees. Conservative politicians in the cantonal council criticize this approach, arguing that it distracts from more effective solutions such as air conditioning.

As early as 2019, the school management of Schule Tömlimatt in Kappel am Albis had announced a heat day off. The canton intervened at the time and had the decision reversed. «Wir haben entschieden, dass die Kinder am Donnerstag freihaben», the school management had announced at the time.

According to forecasts, the heat wave is expected to subside in the following week. However, the political debate about measures in schools is likely to intensify.