School safety remains a “non-negotiable priority” for the government, Education Minister Athena Michaelidou said on Thursday, responding to the Audit Office’s findings on fire safety and health shortcomings in public schools.

Speaking after the cabinet meeting, Michaelidou said the issues identified in the auditor-general’s latest report, including gaps in fire safety certification, were already known to the ministry and had been the focus of work over the past three years.

“The safety and health of children, teachers and staff is a constant priority,” she said.

Michaelidou described the findings as the result of administrative shortcomings that had accumulated over previous decades, adding that the government had invested “tens of millions of euros” to address them.

Of the 25 schools examined during the audit, only 11 had valid electrical installation inspection reports and none held a valid fire safety certificate.

The report also found the ministry did not maintain a centralised register of fire safety certificates, making it “impossible to identify schools at increased risk in a timely manner”.

She said the ministry was strengthening inspections and monitoring mechanisms while introducing clearer timetables to improve compliance across the education system.

“We are recognising the problems and working systematically to resolve them,” she said.

According to the minister, the government had inherited “a system with problems, shortcomings, mainly incomplete procedures”, but was pursuing a comprehensive approach focused on prevention, intervention and oversight rather than isolated improvements at individual schools.

Michaelidou said one of the country’s largest school infrastructure upgrade programmes had been carried out during the past three years, including new school buildings, extensions, renovations and maintenance works that incorporated fire safety measures and electrical upgrades.

She added that more than 90 per cent of Cyprus’ school seismic upgrade programme had been completed and that the ministry was working closely with the fire brigade and the electromechanical department of the Transport Ministry to strengthen inspections.

The minister said the aim was for every school to obtain the required certifications rather than relying solely on inspections.

Michaelidou also insisted air conditioning installation was progressing, with all preschools, lyceums and most gymnasiums expected to be covered before the new school year, while around half of primary schools had already completed the necessary upgrades.