China Donates AC Units to Maldives’ "Cool School" Project

China has donated air conditioning units to support the Maldives’ Cool School initiative, which aims to equip all classrooms with AC units within the next two years. The handover ceremony took place at the Centre for Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) in Malé, where Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Wang Lixin officially presented the ACs to Minister of Education Dr. Ismail Shafeeu.

The Education Ministry has announced that the AC units will be installed in the Hulhumalé branch of CHSE, providing a more comfortable learning environment for students. However, the exact number of donated units has not yet been disclosed.

The Cool School project, launched in June at Maafushi School, seeks to enhance classroom comfort nationwide. While air conditioning installation is projected to increase school operational costs by 38 percent, the Education Ministry has committed to offsetting about 30 percent of this increase through renewable energy sources. The government, along with private contributors, is identifying schools suitable for solar panel installations to help cover the added energy needs.

In addition to government efforts, some schools have independently started installing ACs with assistance from parents, showing widespread support for improving classroom conditions across the Maldives.