Fenaka Corporation Managing Director Mohamed Afeef has said that the 'Cool School' project is facing delays due to several challenges, adding that some islands need electricity network upgrades before the ACs can be installed. 

Under the 'Cool School' project, Fenaka is tasked with affixing ACs in classrooms of government schools across the country within two years. The project was launched in June, 2024, but has only reached 61 percent completion as of yet, Education Minister Dr Ismail Shafeeu said last Tuesday. 

Speaking on the 'Ahaashey Bunaanan' program on State radio, Afeef said the project is proving to be highly challenging. 

Reasons for this include that some islands require complete overhauls of the electricity distribution network or substations, while the necessary equipment for this is not even available in the country. 

Afeef said that the delays are being presented because cables and other resources need to be brought in from abroad, and teams for Fenaka are required to travel abroad to ascertain quality of materials being purchased. 

At a parliament sitting last week, Education Minister Shafeeu said that the government's target is to complete installation of ACs in all schools before the start of the next school term, scheduled for August 2. 

Fenaka was awarded the Cool School project last year, for MVR 54 million, including the procurement of required AC units.