Students at Makarios III high school in Larnaca staged a one-hour walkout on Wednesday to protest ongoing power outages caused by the school’s outdated electrical system, leaving classrooms “unbearably” hot and without fans.

Students and parents at the school said the issues stem not from a lack of equipment but from an outdated electrical system that cannot handle current demand, leading to frequent power outages.

Chairman of the parents’ association Costas Costa said there have been numerous complaints about classes taking place in stifling conditions, especially after fans were removed from some classrooms.

“What we are asking as organised parents is the swift restoration of electricity at Makarios high school so normal conditions can resume,” Costa said. 

“Fans must be installed in all classrooms until the electrical system is repaired, which is expected to take several months.”

Chairwoman of the school board Yianna Nikolaou confirmed that since 1990 no upgrades have been made to increase the school’s electrical capacity, despite new devices being added over time.

She explained that a recent examination carried out by the school board’s electrical engineer found the electrical load to be running at a roughly 30 per cent lower capacity compared to other schools in the area.

Nikolaou said electricians had been investigating the problem on Wednesday and had taken the necessary steps to restore electricity and ensure the school could operate without further interruptions.

She added that inspections identified power loss in the school’s multipurpose room, which a previous upgrade plan including electrical and earthquake-proofing works did not cover.

Meanwhile, plans to upgrade the school’s entire electrical installation are at an advanced stage, with the school board preparing to issue a call for tenders.

“For now, the electrical system is stable, but we will monitor the situation,” she said, adding that “if any problem arises, we will do everything possible to resolve it”.