Cyprus schoolchildren to skip one lesson on September 16 because air conditioners are not working

The Pan-Cyprian Coordinating Committee of Schoolchildren (ΠΣΕΜ) has announced that on Wednesday, September 16, students will skip the fourth lesson — at around 10:30. The action is timed to coincide with a meeting of the parliamentary education committee.

The main complaint concerns air conditioners. In some schools, the equipment has been installed but does not work; in others, there are not even fans. The government has postponed the deadline for equipping schools with air conditioners from the end of 2026 to 2028. “Humane and decent conditions are not a luxury,” the committee said in a statement, adding that students are not prepared to wait any longer.

The second demand is uniform school rules: shorts should be allowed in hot weather. At present, individual principals make that decision. “Some authoritarian principals ban shorts, citing their colour and length,” said Elena Charalambous, chair of the Nicosia Schoolchildren’s Committee (ΕΣΕΜ).

The third point is reducing the curriculum. Individual chapters have been removed from courses, but, in the students’ view, they contain basic knowledge without which it is impossible to understand the remaining material. The committee also says that some school buildings are unsafe.

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou said she was ready for dialogue and stressed that discussions should precede any decision on the action. She referred to the curriculum reduction, the installation of air conditioners and building repairs: projects worth €132 million have been announced for school infrastructure. ΠΣΕΜ responded that it had sent a letter to the ministry as early as Tuesday of the previous week and had received no reply.