Ventilation element for a cooler for cooling bulk material, comprising a tray-like component provided with at least one opening for the supply of cooling gas as well as an insert which can be releasably fixed in the tray-like component and forms a support surface which can be ventilated from below for the bulk material, the insert consisting of a plurality of longitudinal profiled sections and connecting elements disposed transversely with respect thereto. The longitudinal profiled sections and the connecting elements are constructed in such a way that they can be pushed into one another during assembly of the insert.