Air conditioners in Nicosia lyceums operating in 21% of schools, versus 100% claimed in July

Air conditioners in Cyprus schools are working far less effectively than suggested by July data from the Ministry of Education. According to the report of 2 July, air-conditioning systems had been installed and were operating at 100% in lyceums in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Famagusta. In updated data presented on 4 September, only the lyceums in Larnaca were described as fully operational.

The current picture for lyceums is as follows: air conditioners are operating in 21% of schools in Nicosia, while another 79% are at the final stage of the work. In Limassol, 90% are operational; in Famagusta, 33%, with the remaining 67% awaiting completion. In Paphos, installation has been completed in 33% of lyceums, another 33% are at the final stage, while the remaining third is still only planned.

The discrepancy is even more pronounced in gymnasiums. Two months earlier, the gymnasiums in Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta and Paphos were listed as fully ready, whereas according to the September data, air conditioners are operating in 50% of gymnasiums in Famagusta, 45% in Larnaca, 39% in Limassol, 37.5% in Paphos and 18% in Nicosia.

Work is progressing most slowly in primary schools: air conditioners are operating in 65% of schools in the Famagusta district, 46% in Limassol, 39% in Larnaca, 24% in Nicosia and 16% in Paphos.

Contractors attribute the delays to a queue for electrical inspections. “This needs to be resolved with the EAC. Electricians wait for inspections for months before power is connected to a site. People cannot complete the work and wait for payment for months,” said Giorgos Kyriakou, chairman of the Cyprus Association of Licensed Electricians, referring to the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC).

According to the Ministry of Education, 492 school facilities submitted applications for electrical inspections, and all applications submitted have already been processed; there are around 800 schools on the island in total. The ministry promises that air conditioners will “soon” appear in all schools in Cyprus for the first time and describes safety as an absolute priority. The school year in gymnasiums and lyceums began on 7 September, while primary schools will open on 14 September.