More than 200 Qld schools slated to be airconditioned yet to have it installed or up and running

Shock new figures reveal hundreds of Queensland schools slated to be airconditioned are are sweating as they wait for units to be installed or get up and running.

Electrical upgrades are needed at almost 90 Queensland schools before they can be properly airconditioned as new figures reveal hundreds of facilities are waiting to be cooled.

Figures uncovered in Budget Estimates show 222 of the 649 schools slated to be airconditioned are yet to have the equipment installed or up and running.

This includes 134 schools that are “still being assessed” as well as 88 that require either an “internal or external” electrical upgrade before the airconditioning can be fully operational.

It means about two thirds of schools in need of airconditioning have now had them properly installed, with Education Minister Grace Grace claiming the government is on track to cool all schools by June, 2022.

“Sixty-nine schools have not yet had a contract awarded for airconditioning or any electrical upgrades,” she said in response to a question on notice.

“The Department of Education will fund all electrical upgrades in relation to the air conditioning of schools as part of the Cooler Cleaner Schools Program.”

An audit from last year found some of the schools in need of airconditioning would require upgrades to their electrical systems in order to take on the additional electricity load on the network.