An eight-classroom building has been found to contain risky Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) at a south Belfast primary school. Engineers, confirmed the material in the Cairnshill Primary School’s eight-classroom block, which was deemed “unsafe for continued use” by officials. Currently, pupils in some year 4, 5, and 6 classes have been affected and their parents have been informed. They will not be able to return to school for the rest of the week; however, the school’s principal Joanne Currie said in a letter that the rest of the building is safe and no other areas of the school have been impacted. Another update will be issued on Friday.
Member of Parliament for Belfast South, Claire Hanna expressed her concern regarding the discovery at the school; classrooms in the building have been evacuated to protect children and staff. She believes that this is the right approach as more information concerning the risks to these sites is received. It is crucial, as per her, that the authorities deal with this as quickly as possible to minimise interruption to the education of these kids. The DE’s Mark Browne, who is the top civil servant, stated that the security of teachers, staff, and students in schools is a top priority. He stated that the department and the Education Authority are working alongside the school to ensure that affected classes can resume as soon as possible.
According to Liam McGuckin, the president of the National Association of Head Teachers, this is a terrible situation and the school will need a quick temporary solution as the affected block would need to be rebuilt. Raac is a low-weight material that was used primarily in flat roofing, but also in floors and walls, between the 1950s and 1990s; it’s a cheaper alternative to normal concrete, easier and quicker to produce. It is however less durable, with a lifespan of about 30 years. Over 170 schools and colleges in England were discovered to have Raac earlier this year and advised to shut buildings unless safety measures were put in place before the new school year began
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