The UK academic year begins in chaos due to the risk of collapse in schools

Alert in more than a hundred centers due to the presence of light concrete

Madrid, September 3 (European Press) –

The order issued by the UK government to completely or partially close more than a hundred educational centers in England a few days before the start of the academic year has sparked a wave of criticism against the authorities, who defend the extraordinary measures by appealing to the government at the risk of collapse.

The decision is based on the fall of a pillar built of special, lighter concrete this summer, but it led to information chaos. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is due to appear in the House of Commons on Monday.

Keegan claimed in an article published on Sunday in The Sun newspaper that there was “no choice” and promised that the government would work everything out within “days, not weeks”. “I want to assure families that they will not return to the dark days of school closures,” he said, referring to the pandemic.

For his part, Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said in statements to the BBC that the authorities will take “whatever it takes” to dispel any doubts “so that children can return to classrooms safely.”

But the government did not reveal the list of centers that would be affected by the concrete blast, which prompted the labor opposition to consider resorting to a parliamentary mechanism through which it could force the publication of official documents.

Autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a lighter material than the common concrete used until the mid-1990s. The government has not yet clarified whether there are more public facilities affected, such as health centers or courts.

Hunt, the former health secretary, stated that he was not aware of any reports of this type of substance being used in hospitals. However, he also promised that if there are signs of danger, the authorities will also do “whatever is necessary.”