Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said she was appalled at the lack of investment in schools as she vowed a huge cash injection would finally turn things around
Labour’s education chief has voiced her anger at seeing children being taught in stationery cupboards and noisy dinner halls because schools are in a state of disrepair.
Bridget Phillipson told The Mirror that inadequate buildings have a “profound” impact on young learners, who say they struggle in class as a result.
Her remarks came as the Government announced a huge cash boost to crumbling schools, hospitals and courts to tackle years of neglect.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled a 10-year plan to address the “decay that has seeped into our everyday lives” – with 750 schools in England set for a rebuild.
Education Secretary Ms Phillipson said she was appalled by the disruption the discovery of dodgy concrete had caused two years ago, as well as neglect in schools across the country.
More than 100 school buildings had to be closed after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) – which was used for decades to save cash – was found, sparking fears of imminent collapse.
READ MORE: Rachel Reeves announces huge boost for crumbling schools, hospitals and courts
Ms Phillipson said: “I visited a number of schools that were affected by RAAC, but also in schools that were struggling with completely inadequate buildings.
“The impact that that had was children having lessons in a stationery cupboard that had to be converted into a classroom, a situation where the dining hall had to be given over to become a maths classroom because the maths block was out of action.
“All of that has a profound impact on children’s ability to learn.” And describing the impact on kids she said: “The children find it disruptive.
“And what they’ve told me is that if you’re learning in a very hot, overcrowded environment, that makes it really hard to learn and to concentrate.
“It makes it hard for teachers to deliver a brilliant education as well. My experience growing up was also spending quite a lot of my time in secondary schooling in portacabins.
“You kept your coat on in the winter because it was so cold, and in the summer it was absolutely boiling. And that just made it very hard to learn. It’s still happening.”
The Government announced a £38billion capital boost for England’s schools by the end of the decade. Maintenance funding for schools will also rise to nearly £3billion a year by 2035.
Ms Phillipson said she is confident that all RAAC cases have been identified and dealt with. She said: “I think we all recognise that it’s completely unacceptable that so many children ended up going to schools that were literally being propped up by steel girders..
“There can be no more defining image of the last government than children sat in classrooms with props to stop the ceiling from falling in.
“But we’ve got to move beyond that and not just deal with the immediate problems of decay, but also to look at a brighter future for children as well.”
The Government says its 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy will create a jobs boost and drive investment into the UK. The Education Secretary was yesterday(THUR) joined by Ms Reeves on a visit to Wrotham School in Kent, which is undergoing a £42million rebuild.
Headteacher Michael Cater told The Mirror investment in modern facilities has a big impact on pupils. “It shows we respect their education,” he said.
As well as schools investment the Government has vowed to eliminate reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) from NHS buildings. Prisons in England and Wales will be awarded at least £600million a year to improve safety and security amid growing alarm in the justice sector.
There will also be cash for “enhanced” law courts to ensure cases are dealt with faster. Ms Reeves said: “Infrastructure is crucial to unlocking growth across the country, but for too long investment has been squeezed.
“Crumbling public buildings are a sign of the decay that has seeped into our everyday lives because of a total failure to plan and invest.”
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Britain has long been crying out for a serious, long-term infrastructure plan. Across our schools, hospitals, reservoirs and railways we have invested too little for too long.
“We have a vital opportunity to rebuild our country after more than a decade of Conservative mismanagement and neglect. We must grab it with both hands.”
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