Schools across England have been forced to close due to fears they could collapse.
Here’s what to know:The material, called Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete or RAAC, was used widely in construction of public buildings during the 1950s until the mid-1990s. The material, lighter than traditional concrete, was used to build roofs but has also been found in walls and floors. RAAC panels and planks have a bubbly appearance and are softer than standard concrete.RAAC becomes weaker and more prone to collapse as it ages. It is usually pale gray or white in appearance.
As the crisis rocks schools in England, risk assessments in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland are also taking place.The British government said in a statement Monday that it had been aware of the material being used in public sector buildings since 1994 and many people including parents and opposition lawmakers are saying that the government should have acted sooner to repair the affected schools.
On Monday, Sunak said he understood the anxiety felt by families but wanted to stress that “a vast majority of schools are unaffected.” He also said that it was “completely and utterly wrong” to blame him for the crisis. “[My daughter] has already been through the full pandemic at secondary school, her sister was as well, and it’s not good for their education, it’s not good for their mental health or their social skills,” one mother from London told the BBC.
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