Update on school infrastructure projects and energy efficiency upgrades in Cyprus

Cyprus is currently implementing two major school infrastructure initiatives. First, a 20-million-euro project funded by the European Union under the Thalia 2021-2027 program is upgrading 25 public schools into near-zero energy buildings, with 12 schools already completed and 13 expected to finish by early 2028. Additionally, the Ministry of Education is managing 23 large-scale construction and renovation projects exceeding 125 million euros for the 2026-2027 school year, including new technical schools in Limassol and Aradippou. However, a recent Audit Office report criticized the long-term reliance on prefabricated classrooms as a permanent solution to overcrowding. ETEK President Constantinos Constanti and the OELMEK teachers' union voiced concerns over the lack of long-term infrastructure planning, noting that temporary structures should not substitute for permanent facilities. While the Education Ministry maintains that temporary classrooms are necessary to address immediate overcrowding, the Audit Office and technical bodies are calling for comprehensive, permanent housing solutions for students.