Audit office report raises safety concerns over school air conditioning installations

On September 29, 2026, the Audit Office of Cyprus released a critical report regarding the installation of air conditioning units in public schools. Auditors inspected five schools previously identified by the Ministry of Education as having fully functional systems and discovered that four of them suffered from significant safety issues, including makeshift electrical wiring, missing safety locks on switchboards, and units forced to operate on rotation due to power overloads.

The Ministry of Education, led by the Minister, defended the project as a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at addressing decades of neglect. Ministry officials and Nicos Megalemos, President of the School Boards Confederation, noted that the report focused on outdated 2023-2024 planning, whereas the project scope has since expanded significantly. They emphasized that safety is non-negotiable and that any non-certified systems will be addressed. However, opposition figures, including AKEL MP Christos Christofides and the POED teacher union, criticized the government for prioritizing PR over technical integrity and demanded immediate accountability.

Moving forward, the Audit Office has called for the immediate disconnection of non-certified units until inspections are finalized. The Ministry of Education maintains that all necessary technical and electrical protocols are being strictly enforced before any unit is permitted to operate.