President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to completing the nationwide ‘Cool School’ initiative, an infrastructure programme aimed at installing air conditioning in all government school classrooms and staff rooms, prior to the start of the next academic year.
Addressing residents of Mahibadhoo in Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, President Muizzu described education as a sector receiving sustained attention and investment. He reiterated the administration’s pledge: “We have pledged that before the conclusion of this year, every single classroom in all schools across every island of the Maldives will be equipped with air conditioning.”
The scope of the initiative, he said, will extend to every school in the country. “When the next academic year commences, students throughout all schools in the Maldives will be entering air-conditioned classrooms for their studies. Furthermore, the staff rooms designated for teachers will also have been air-conditioned by the time the academic year begins.”
Launched in June 2024, the ‘Cool School’ project originally set a two-year timeline to complete installations across all government school classrooms. The initiative represents a significant investment in educational infrastructure, aimed at improving conditions for both students and educators.
In parallel with this effort, the government is undertaking broader development across the education sector. These works include newly initiated projects as well as the resumption of stalled infrastructure inherited by the current administration.
Plans for a second phase of the initiative have also been outlined. This next stage will target school halls, with installations proceeding incrementally in facilities described by the president as being in “poor conditions”.
To manage the scale and cost of the programme, the administration has adopted a strategy focused on energy efficiency. Schools identified as suitable for solar panel installation are being prioritised, with support from both government and private entities enabling a low-cost rollout.