UK: Over 150 schools shut buildings over crumbling concrete

More than 150 schools across the United Kingdom must close their buildings because are at risk of collapsing.

Britain's Department for Education said buildings at 156 schools contained Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a material that was used widely from 1950s to the mid-1990s that is prone to crumbling.

Most of the affected schools can continue face-to-face learning because the problematic concrete was only found in a small part of the buildings, but some schools would have to be closed temporarily.

"In some cases, it will be the whole school," Schools Minister Nick Gibb told broadcaster Sky News on Friday.

He added that it would still be safe for children to learn in classrooms where the ceiling was propped up by steel girders.

Back to school

The disruption comes as millions of pupils prepare to return to school after the summer holidays. The school year had already been affected by teacher strikes.

"Nothing is more important than making sure children and staff are safe in schools and colleges, which is why we are acting on new evidence about RAAC now, ahead of the start of term," Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said.

"The plan we have set out will minimize the impact on pupil learning and provide schools with the right funding and support they need to put mitigations in place to deal with RAAC," she said.

However, education officials and unions have hit out at the government's timing.

"This situation is nothing short of a scandal," said Mike Short, head of education at trade union UNISON.

"The Department of Education and government have squandered valuable months hiding this crisis when they should have been fixing dangerous school buildings."

The Association of School and College Leaders noted education authorities had been aware of the dangers of RAAC-related structural failures since at least 2018.

"It has taken the government far too long to act on a risk of this seriousness," ASCL's policy director Julie McCulloch said.

zc/fb (Reuters, AFP)