Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced a commitment to eliminate deteriorating concrete structures from all educational institutions before the upcoming election. Despite the discovery of hazardous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools across England two years ago, many children are still studying in affected buildings.
In 2023, around 100 educational settings were notified by authorities to shut down compromised structures unless safety measures were implemented. Following three roof collapses in 2023, the Government allocated funds to facilitate the removal of the problematic material. However, the process of replacing RAAC in schools is still in progress.
In a statement published in the Mirror, Phillipson emphasized the importance of ensuring equal opportunities for all students across the country. She highlighted the urgent need to address the deteriorating conditions of school infrastructure, criticizing the current state of classrooms supported by steel props and deteriorating walls and ceilings.
Phillipson outlined the Labour party’s commitment to rectifying the education system’s shortcomings, stating that by the end of the current parliamentary term, all schools and colleges in England not undergoing substantial reconstruction will be free of RAAC. She further emphasized that every reconstruction project for schools in need will be in progress by that time.
The Education Secretary stressed the importance of providing students with inspiring learning environments free of deteriorating infrastructure. She described the initiative as a step towards national rejuvenation, demonstrating the government’s dedication to offering students classrooms they can take pride in.
Out of approximately 22,000 schools and colleges in England, 237 were identified to have crumbling concrete issues. Presently, the Department for Education confirmed that 62 of these institutions have successfully removed RAAC from their premises.