Fecam Demands Millions, Dialogue for Canary School Climate Shelters

The Canarian Federation of Municipalities (Fecam), which represents the 88 towns and cities across the islands, has called on the Ministry of Education for better communication. They want to discuss how to put in place measures to protect schools from high temperatures and strong sun.

Local councils, responsible for maintaining school buildings, are asking for a much larger investment. They want to create "climate shelters," which include shaded areas and more natural spaces within schools.

Mari Brito, who leads Fecam and is the mayor of Candelaria, said local councils are unhappy with the lack of discussion around the Ministry's rules. She explained that councils often only find out about new guidelines from the schools themselves. Brito pointed out that the planned actions don't match what's truly needed, stressing that a lot more money is required – "hundreds of thousands, even millions of euros," not just 40,000 euros. She called for agreement and open, constructive dialogue.

While Fecam supports the idea of making school environments more natural, Brito described the current funding as insufficient. This is especially true in hotter areas, like the south of the islands, which need more green spaces and shade. She also highlighted that some other towns haven't seen investment in school buildings for decades. Fecam has asked to be consulted and agree on any documents related to school management that affect local responsibilities.

Fecam's comments come after the Ministry of Education launched its "Naturalization of Educational Centers" project on October 17. The head of the Ministry, Poli Suárez, explained that the initiative aims to make schoolyards greener and more sustainable, adapting them to climate change. The goal is to create more pleasant and comfortable environments with shade, plants, and places that encourage students to get along and learn outdoors.

Public schools in the Canary Islands had until November 14 to submit their proposals for making their grounds more natural, tailored to their specific needs. The first phase of the plan has a budget of two million euros. It includes measures such as planting trees and other plants, installing drinking water fountains, creating 'tagorores' (meeting spaces), school gardens, outdoor classrooms, outdoor furniture, and setting up shaded areas.