London Thanasis Gavos

School buildings in England built with a particular type of cement, deemed structurally weak and at risk of collapse, will be closed immediately in England.

The announcement was made by the British government, just a few days before the start of the new school year in the country next week.

Already, 104 schools have been ordered to close, in addition to about 50 more that were affected within the past school year.

The Ministry of Education was quick to note that the vast majority of school buildings are not affected. But the main opposition Labor spoke of a “stunning display of incompetence” by the government and the Association of Head Schools and Colleges commented that the announcement was a rushed last-minute move.

A National Audit Office report in June warned that school buildings built with so-called Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Cement (RAAC) were at risk of collapse. A similar risk was identified in hospital buildings.

This is material spread mainly in previous decades.

Schools that have RAAC in place but have taken safety measures, such as additional structural ceiling support or the use of alternative classrooms in the school complex, will be able to continue operating.

The decision means thousands of students in England will be forced to return to the days of the coronavirus pandemic, starting the school year with lessons online.