The president of the Nicosia school board said on Wednesday that the Audit Office’s findings on safety issues with air conditioning units in schools were “somewhat exaggerated”.

Nikos Megalemos said the highlighted issues already being discussed by the board and would be considered in future projects.

“I think the claims about security were overstated, leading to public worry,” he said, while stressing that inspections were welcome.

He also confirmed that units temporarily connected for the Pancyprian Examinations will be disconnected.

The Audit Office had expressed serious concerns on Tuesday following inspections at five schools.

Their report noted incomplete work at four sites, makeshift electrical connections, alternating air conditioner use to prevent overloads, and an electrical panel missing its safety mechanism.

Megalemos said temporary connections had been made in a limited number of classrooms according to examination needs and each school’s electrical capacity.

He stressed these were not final installations and would now be disconnected.

Nicosia has installed air conditioners in 96 schools, although only 18 of 89 cases included in the project had been completed by July, a 20 per cent rate.

Megalemos said the percentage did not reflect the scale of the district, which has 272 schools, and warned that completing the project by the end of 2026 would be “extremely difficult”.

The project, announced in 2023, is now expected to extend until 2028.