Schools that evacuated children due to crumbling concrete face years in portable buildings and temporary classrooms as the government delays funding, according to reports.
There are 231 schools and colleges with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), which the Health and Safety Executive has said is “life expired” and could collapse “with little or no warning”, according to the latest government figures.
Education secretary Gillian Keegan said months ago that the safety of children and staff was a top priority, vowing to fund longer-term refurbishment or rebuilding projects where needed.
But ahead of the new year, many schools have still not been told when their buildings will be fixed, it has emerged.
The Department for Education (DfE) is refusing to commit to funding or even give any timescales for starting work, with building experts estimating that schools will be waiting years for new safe buildings, The Observer reported.
A DfE spokesman told The Independent: “We have committed to fund the removal of Raac from our schools either through grants, or through our School Rebuilding Programme and we will inform schools as soon as possible once our assessments have concluded.”
“We are working closely all affected schools to understand and assess their individual requirements,” they added.
But one headteacher from a northern English school told The Observer: “I can’t get any information. There is no indication of when they will decide, never mind a decision.
“The best result would be rebuilding as we have so many problems, but actually we just need some certainty. Parents like shiny new buildings, and Raac definitely isn’t helping our reputation.
