New large school in Nuuk has cost millions of kroner, but remains empty

Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq has spent over 120,000 kroner to hire a school superintendent, who has now resigned before the school has even been put into use. And now the municipality is announcing that the school will not open until August anyway.

August 17, 2023 was a big day of celebration for the citizens of Nuuk. The new school in the center of Nuuk was celebrated when the school was given its new name – Atuarfik Inussuk. All students from grade 2 to grade 10 as well as their teachers were invited to the big event, where speeches were given to the future students and teachers.

But now – two years later – students and teachers have still not moved into the new school. The approximately 1,200 students are in the meantime being taught at the old and badly run-down schools, Atuarfik Samuel Kleinschmidt and Ukaliusaq.

According to Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, fire safety at the new school is not yet in place. Among other things, a new sprinkler system must be installed before the school can be used. In the meantime, the school superintendent has left, and the municipality has hired a new school superintendent, Dorthe Bidstrup, who was hired on March 1, 2025. 

Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq has sent a letter to parents and employees with an explanation of why Atuarfik Inussuk cannot yet be used.

– The main reason for the delay is that the contractor must be able to document that all construction solutions comply with the requirements of the building regulations. Especially with regard to fire safety. This is a requirement that we cannot compromise on. In connection with the ongoing regulatory approval, it has been determined that the original fire protection solution did not meet the requirements of the building regulations.

– This means that a full sprinkler system will now be installed at the school. The installation itself is expected to begin soon, but it is an extensive and technically demanding job that will take time, the municipality states in the letter to parents and employees.

School inspector raised 

The plan was for Atuarfik Inussuk to open in August 2024. Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq started looking for a school superintendent for the new school. A candidate was found from Denmark, but before he could start working in practice, he chose to move back to Denmark.

The former school superintendent has previously told Sermitsiaq that the only reason for resigning from the position was because his wife traveled to Denmark in March – and with residences 3400 kilometers away, it was too far for his wife and him.

According to a document review that KNR has received, the appointment has cost the municipality 123,738 kroner. An amount that covers household goods transport in connection with the arrival trip, household goods transport in connection with the return trip, storage and travel expenses in connection with both arrival and departure.

In the few months that the school superintendent has served as the head of the empty school, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq has also paid 64,500 kroner in monthly salary to the school superintendent.

The opening of Atuarfik Inussuk has been postponed several times, and the municipality now promises that the school will be put into use in the calendar year 2025.