Aira Education Programme Completes First Round of School Visits in Podgorica, Tivat and Pljevlja
In October 2026, the Education and Workshops (EDU) workstream of the aira Indoor Air Quality Education Program carried out its first round of educational site visits, reaching three schools across Montenegro: Private Gymnasium in Podgorica, Primary School “Drago Milović” in Tivat, and Primary School “Mile Peruničić” and its branch unit in Pljevlja. The visits combined hands-on classroom education with the technical infrastructure assessments and AirGradient monitor installations carried out by MIAI's engineering (ED) workstream, bringing both sides of the aira pilot programme directly into the classroom.
The program opened on 6 October at Private Gymnasium in Podgorica, where high-school pupils took part in the joint ED–EDU site visit: a technical infrastructure check and AirGradient monitor installation on the same day as the first education workshop. Delivered in both Montenegrin and English with support from a guest specialist from AirGradient, the session introduced pupils to the fundamentals of indoor air quality, and pupils had the chance to watch the AirGradient monitor being assembled before building two further units themselves in small groups.
On 9 October, the program reached third-grade pupils at Primary School “Drago Milović” in Tivat for a lively, activity-based session built around aira's younger-grade curriculum. Pupils followed the Monty cartoon introduction, took part in assembling an AirGradient device, and completed the Bins Sorting Game and Source-to-Effect Maze activities before taking home their own educational booklets and a family activity. A highlight of the visit was watching the AirGradient monitor's readings rise in real time as pupils moved and breathed near it, bringing the science of indoor air quality to life.
The final visit of this round took place on 16 October at Primary School “Mile Peruničić” in Pljevlja, reaching pupils across mixed grades 1 through 9, including outreach to the school’s branch unit in Podborova. As in Tivat, the session opened with the Monty cartoon introduction and a simplified theory segment on the basics of indoor air quality, before pupils took part in assembling the AirGradient device themselves. From there, pupils moved on to the Bins Sorting Game. The group also worked through the Source-to-Effect Maze before wrapping up with take-home booklets and a family activity to extend the learning beyond the classroom. Teachers at the school were closely involved throughout, listening attentively and actively encouraging pupil participation.
Across all three schools, pupils and teachers alike showed strong engagement with the program, marking a successful start to the EDU workstream's pilot-phase school visits. Further site visits are planned as the aira programme continues its rollout across Montenegro.
