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After years of promises and far too many lessons taught in sweltering classrooms, air conditioning is finally reaching schools across Cyprus. But whether a child will actually feel cool air when classes resume still depends heavily on where they live and what type of school they attend.
Education Minister Athina Michaelidou said Friday that the long-running project was now “in full swing” and that, for the first time, all schools would soon have air conditioning.
The latest figures, however, show a very uneven picture. While some districts are close to the finish line, others still have a considerable wait ahead, particularly at primary-school level.
KNews first reported in June 2024 that air conditioners would be installed in an initial 50 schools under a three-year plan. More than two years later, the rollout has expanded significantly, but many systems remain in their final installation or approval stages, while others are still only planned.
Secondary schools are furthest ahead
Lyceums have made the most progress.
All lyceums in the Larnaca district now have fully operational air conditioning, while Limassol has reached 90%. The remaining 10% is reportedly in the final stage.
The picture is less impressive elsewhere. Only 21% of Nicosia’s lyceums have systems fully operating, although the remaining 79% are said to be in the final stage.
In Paphos, one-third are fully operational, one-third are nearing completion, and one-third remain at the planning stage. In Famagusta, 33% are operating and 67% are in the final stage.
Progress in gymnasiums is slower. Full operation stands at 50% in Famagusta, 45% in Larnaca, 39% in Limassol and 37.5% in Paphos.
Nicosia is again at the bottom of the list, with air conditioning fully operating in only 18% of its gymnasiums. Another 64% are in the final stage, while 18% remain planned.
Primary pupils face the longest wait
Primary schools remain the biggest gap in the rollout.
Famagusta is furthest ahead, with systems fully operating in 65% of schools. Limassol follows at 46%, Larnaca at 39%, Nicosia at 24% and Paphos at just 16%.
The figures mean that in Paphos, more than eight in 10 primary schools still do not have air conditioning fully operating. Some 22% are in the final stage, while 62% remain at the planning stage.
In Nicosia, 46% are nearing completion and another 30% are still planned. More than half of Larnaca’s primary schools also remain at the planning stage, despite the district’s much stronger progress in lyceums.
For parents, teachers and pupils, “final stage” and “planned” ultimately mean the same thing on a hot September morning: the air conditioner is not yet cooling the classroom.
Why is it taking so long?
The ministry says the delay is not simply about buying units and attaching them to walls.
Many of Cyprus’ approximately 800 schools have aging electrical systems that must be checked or upgraded before they can safely support dozens of air conditioners running at the same time.
The Department of Electromechanical Services has received and completed inspections following 492 applications from schools nationwide. Most electrical installations were found to be satisfactory, but problems were identified at some schools, where repairs and repeat inspections are required.
Every new air-conditioning installation must also be inspected by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus because it changes the school’s existing electrical system.
Michaelidou said safety was non-negotiable and stressed that the aim was not merely to install the units but to ensure they could operate safely.
That explanation matters, but so does the reality inside the classroom. Cyprus’ extreme heat no longer ends neatly with the summer holidays, and teachers cannot be expected to keep children focused when rooms become unbearably hot.
