The “shadow” arrives at Majorcan schools

The investment, exceeding two million euros, will enable action in the island’s schools

The Canary Islands Government’s Department of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports, led by Poli Suárez, has launched a programme to create shaded areas in every early‑childhood and primary school (CEIP), compulsory‑education centre (CEO), special‑education centre (CEE) and secondary‑school institute (IES) on the island of Fuerteventura. The initiative follows the guarantee of the necessary funding to carry out the works, a demand long voiced by the local educational community.

The measure, which will benefit roughly fifty schools across the island, involves a total investment of €2,011,599.53. It is especially relevant in an island that records some of the highest temperatures in the archipelago, where the conditioning of courtyards and outdoor spaces is crucial for the well‑being of pupils, teachers and non‑teaching staff throughout the school year.

“With this action we guarantee that Fuerteventura’s schools have financing to provide shaded spaces, some already completed and others in the start‑up phase, which will significantly improve the conditions in which daily activities are carried out in the centres,” explained Iván G. Carro, Director General of Infrastructures and Equipment.
“The planning has been designed progressively, following the technical criteria set out in the High‑Temperature Adaptation Plan, while also responding to a very clear social reality in Fuerteventura, where for years there has been a demand to adapt schools and offer more comfortable environments for students and staff.”

Progress

The High‑Temperature Adaptation Plan for Educational Centres, published in September 2024, outlines a roadmap to reduce heat impact in school environments. Measures include creating shade zones in courtyards and outdoor areas, installing photovoltaic modules, and activating specific protocols during extreme‑heat episodes.

In Fuerteventura, the first actions were carried out in schools of the municipalities of Tuineje and Pájara, as well as in all secondary‑school institutes, where shaded spaces have already been installed. Funding has now been secured to extend the programme to schools in the remaining municipalities, with works to be implemented progressively.

With this initiative, Fuerteventura joins Lanzarote, La Gomera and El Hierro as islands where shade provision in schools is guaranteed, either through completed works or through committed financing for future implementation.

The department is also advancing similar projects on other islands of the archipelago: shaded areas have already been created in several schools in southern Tenerife, as well as in the north and metropolitan area of the island, and works are underway in centres on La Palma and Gran Canaria, as part of a broader strategy to adapt and improve educational infrastructure.