Primary and secondary teachers on Tuesday raised concerns over conditions in schools at the start of the new academic year, with some pupils facing delays in receiving textbooks while classrooms in a number of schools remain without functioning air conditioning.

Primary teachers union Poed chairwoman Myria Vasiliou described it as “unthinkable” that, in the age of technology and artificial intelligence, children should begin the school year without books and be expected to learn from photocopies.

“A delay of an entire month cannot be treated as a simple technical difficulty,” she told the Cyprus News Agency. “It confirms that pupils and teachers are once again being asked to cover the shortcomings of the state machinery with makeshift solutions.”

She also criticised the environmental cost of relying on photocopies, saying the mass use of printed material meant unnecessary consumption of paper and resources at a time when schools should be fostering environmental awareness.

“There is no room in education for either delays or patchwork solutions. Books must be in pupils’ hands from the first day,” Vasiliou said.

According to a circular sent to primary school heads, however, the delivery of printed textbooks for some subjects for the 2026-2027 school year will only be completed after classes have begun.

The final delivery of all textbooks is expected by mid-October.

Delays affect textbooks for mathematics, natural sciences and technology, history, geography, design and technology and digital technologies, as well as religious education.

Until the books arrive, teachers have been instructed to continue lessons according to each subject’s curriculum and schedule, making use of available printed and digital educational material and pupils’ notebooks, while being sparing with photocopies.

Air conditioning not available in all classrooms

Meanwhile, secondary teachers’ union Oelmek raised a separate issue over air conditioning, saying a large number of classrooms still do not have functioning systems despite previous government announcements and timetables.

“In 2026, pupils and teachers cannot be expected to suffer from high temperatures inside classrooms,” the union said.

Oelmek said pupils and teachers were being required to spend hours in classrooms where conditions could become extremely difficult.

“It is not possible to speak of a modern and humane school when children and teachers are forced to have lessons under conditions of severe heat stress,” it said.

The union stressed that air conditioning was not simply a matter of comfort, but one of “health, safety and decent learning and working conditions”.

It also rejected explanations from the education ministry for the delays, saying technical, electrical or other difficulties were the responsibility of the state to anticipate and address.

“Excuses do not lower the temperature inside classrooms and do not provide relief to either pupils or teachers,” Oelmek said.

The union called on the government and all responsible authorities to speed up work to make already-installed air-conditioning units operational and complete installations in schools where they are still pending.

“In 2026, air conditioning in school classrooms cannot be considered a luxury. Safe and humane learning and working conditions are an obligation of the state,” it said.