The Government have released their latest “fortnightly” RAAC update more than two weeks late. This shows that the number of schools with confirmed RAAC has risen to 214 schools.
Essex is by far and away the worst hit local authority with 63 schools with confirmed RAAC. The worst hit constituencies are: Harwich and North Essex, Saffron Walden, Witham, Clacton, and South Basildon and East Thurrock.
The Secretary of State has still not answered the six important questions the NEU and other unions asked at the beginning of September:
1. How many schools at risk of RAAC have not had an investigation?
2. How many schools suspect they could have RAAC?
3. How many schools with suspected RAAC have yet to be surveyed?
4. How long does the Government expect it to take for all at-risk schools to be investigated?
5. How long does the Government think it will take for all schools with suspected RAAC to be surveyed?
6. What deadline has been set to clear RAAC from every school?
Commenting, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“The number of schools with RAAC continues to rise, and we are nowhere near the conclusion of this saga. Parents and the wider public need reassurance that the Department for Education have this problem under control. Their reluctance to publish on time speaks volumes, demonstrating that there is a failure at the heart of Government to take seriously the various crises facing education. It should not have to fall to the NEU to chase the DfE for information they pledged to regularly provide. We are also deeply concerned that the urgent questions we asked at the beginning of September have still not been answered.”