No electricity, no school!

The school closures during the Corona pandemic are still bad memories for many. But now the energy crisis can also cause school buildings to be abandoned.

In any case, the canton of Zug plans to close the schools in case of an emergency in the event of a longer power outage. Last week, the governing council delegated the authority for such a decision before the end of the year to SVP Education Director Stephan Schleiss (49).

Security issues in the foreground

No electricity, no school. Parents and school children are now also being informed about this scenario. “Lessons in open schools for a longer period of time without electricity is not an option for various reasons,” says a letter from Bureau Middelbare Scholen, which Blick has at its disposal. Because: “In the event of a longer power failure, the safety of the students cannot be guaranteed.”

For example, there are strict restrictions on public transport and blue light organizations are difficult to reach and available, writes Christoph Freihofer, department head. “After an orderly closure of the schools upon entry, the cantonal schools will remain closed.”

Plans for collapse of public transport

If there is an unannounced power outage during the school day, the school will not close until all students have gone home. If this is not possible due to a public transport collapse, “appropriate waiting areas within the school will be made available for those affected”. If there is an unplanned power outage outside school hours, “the students stay at home”.

The Zug schools also take precautionary measures in the event that there are planned “rolling shutdowns”, ie power cuts in certain areas for several hours. Then the focus is on “distance learning with a focus on independent work by the students”.

Savings are already being made

But writing also tries to calm parents and children. “The chances that Switzerland and the canton of Zug will survive the winter and spring without power outages are intact,” it reads.

The agency also refers to the measures already taken by the canton to reduce energy consumption. For example, the room temperature is limited to 20 degrees, the heating curve is lowered at the weekend, on holidays and at night, hot water is saved or there are no Christmas lights.

Other cantons are concerned

In other cantons too, school operations are being considered in the event of a deterioration of the energy situation or even a power failure.

In the canton of Schaffhausen, “first considerations were made,” Deputy State Secretary Christian Ritzmann told Blick. There are no concrete plans yet to switch to distance learning due to a possible power shortage. But: «In the short term, the structure and organization that still exists from the time of ‘corona distance learning’ could be used.

In Aargau, a cantonal task force is taking emergency precautions. “Of course, the effects on school activities are also taken into account there,” explains Simone Strub Larcher of the Education Directorate. Due to the Corona experience, however, the principle “school takes place” applies. At the moment it is mainly about awareness and energy saving in the operation of school buildings.

A closure scenario is hardly conceivable elsewhere. “The pedagogical, psychological and social importance of personal education has been made very clear to all of us during the pandemic,” writes Michael Lehner of the Baselbiet Education Directorate. That is why the canton wants to avoid drastic measures such as distance learning in schools, even in the event of an energy shortage. “Ultimately, however, it will depend on the development of the situation and the demands of the federal government whether this resolution can be met.”

The canton of Zurich considers it “pretty unlikely at the moment” that the grid will be shut down. How schools can still prepare for this phase is currently being investigated, according to the Education Directorate. But one thing is clear: “In principle, closing schools should remain the ultima ratio.”

Bern, on the other hand, is taking it easy again. “Once the different scenarios are known at the federal level, we will certainly clarify this question,” the education department briefly reports.