Commenting on the Department for Education’s confirmation that
reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been identified
in 174 schools, according to its fortnightly data release,
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National
Education Union, said:
“It is useful that the Department for Education has updated the
list of schools with confirmed RAAC, which has now risen to 174,
and set out the mitigations in place in those schools. This
number is certain to grow as other schools are properly
inspected.
“It continues to be the case that the Secretary of State is
failing to answer questions put by six education unions on 7
September*. There is still a lack of clarity and timeframe from
Government on when all schools at risk will be investigated by
qualified structural engineers to assess the extent of the
problem and the measures that need to be put in place to rectify
the presence of RAAC. Nor has there been a deadline set to clear
RAAC from every school. It is impossible to assess the progress
the DfE is making without answers to these questions.
“Schools have done an incredible job to scramble together
arrangements for children and young people’s education. They
should never have been put in this position. It is the product of
years of neglect by a Government unwilling to prioritise
education and content to allow the school estate to drift into a
parlous state. Schools must now get all the support and help they
need to ensure that a complete picture of the problem is given,
and that proper measures to rectify are undertaken speedily.
Portacabins and marquees are not a long-term solution. Our
children deserve better.”
