Over the past year the crisis caused by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) has fully come to light, with more than 200 schools having to fully or partially close. The damage caused by a decade of underfunding has been exposed. As the prime minister told the Guardian this month: “If schools are crumbling over our children’s heads, how can we expect them to learn the skills they need?”
A year later and little action has been taken – with Raac just the tip of the iceberg. Schools are still suffering from poor infrastructure, whether that be leaking ceilings, broken heating or mould. The ramifications of enduring these conditions are serious: from asthma and poor air quality to absenteeism and mental health issues. Students returned last month to schools where they will be distracted from their studies, facing a winter of learning in “temporary” classrooms with their coats and gloves on.
It shouldn’t be this way, and with the new government there is now an unmissable window of opportunity to make sure all students and staff are working in a safe, comfortable and efficient environment. The prime minister has committed to rebuilding the “infrastructure of opportunity, brick by brick”. Yet, while children continue to learn in crumbling classrooms, they are not being afforded the same opportunity. To truly create equal opportunities, a retrofit of the school estate is needed, and it must be a net zero one. Our changing climate will only add to the pressures placed on already inadequate infrastructure. The new government now has the chance to provide students and staff with a safe place to learn and work that will be resilient for years to come.
Barry Gardiner MP, Brian Leishman MP, Clive Lewis MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Nadia Whittome MP
