 The new school year has been thrown into chaos for many parents and students after The Department for Education (DfE) ordered more than 100 schools to partially or fully close due to the presence of RAAC concrete – which is prone to collapse. RAAC – a type of lightweight, bubbly concrete used in many public buildings from the 1950s until the 1990s, has a lifespan of around 30 years, which has led to safety concerns and suggestions from The Health and Safety Executive that structures 'could collapse with little or no notice'. More than 150 schools and colleges are actually impacted in total already – that's because around 50 were already suffering from disruption this year and a further 104 have been added to the list. With many having to undergo repairs to parts of their building – and in some cases close completely ahead of the start of term – repairing the problem could be a costly business. With that in mind, how much has been spent on rebuilding schools over the past decade? How much has been spent on improving schools with RAAC? Schools Minister Nick Gibb has revealed that since 2015 the Government has spent around £15bn on improving schools. That sum – which amoungs to £1.7bn a year – is known as 'school capital funding' and has been spent on 'maintaining and improving the condition of school buildings and grounds'. The DfE has spent a further £0.9bn a year on rebuilding schools, as part of the Schools Rebuilding Programme. Abbey Lane Primary School in Sheffield is also among those named (Picture: PA) However, it's estimated they need a lot more than that, with the department saying in 2020 around £4bn would be needed for school maintenance over the following five years. The DfE has been considering RAAC as a potential issue since late 2018. National Education Union general secretary Daniel Kebede said: 'It is absolutely disgraceful, and a sign of gro){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
The new school year has been thrown into chaos for many parents and students after The Department for Education (DfE) ordered more than 100 schools to partially or fully close due to the presence of RAAC concrete – which is prone to collapse.
RAAC – a type of lightweight, bubbly concrete used in many public buildings from the 1950s until the 1990s, has a lifespan of around 30 years, which has led to safety concerns and suggestions from The Health and Safety Executive that structures ‘could collapse with little or no notice’.
More than 150 schools and colleges are actually impacted in total already – that’s because around 50 were already suffering from disruption this year and a further 104 have been added to the list.
With many having to undergo repairs to parts of their building – and in some cases close completely ahead of the start of term – repairing the problem could be a costly business.