School Principal Reports Two Rooms Inaccessible Due to Condition

Emma Quinn, principal of Rathcoole Primary School in County Antrim, has stated that “Two rooms are out of bounds, and the toilets are wholly unfit for purpose.” Her school is in urgent need of maintenance. Northern Ireland’s spending watchdog has identified Rathcoole Primary as one among numerous schools requiring “significant repair.” The Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) noted that educational facilities are “deteriorating” and that the Department of Education is “firefighting” to sustain school operations. The NIAO’s recent report on the condition of school buildings across Northern Ireland concluded that many schools require “significant repair and upgrade to meet modern standards of safety, accessibility, and functionality.” For Ms Quinn, this assessment resonates deeply. She informed BBC News NI that “The windows continue to be a sore point,” and reiterated, “Two rooms are out of bounds.” A plumber from the north eastern area visited last week to remove a sink due to safety concerns. Ms Quinn further described the sanitation facilities, stating, “The toilets are wholly unfit for purpose, with cracks, broken toilets, and old drainage.” The issues extend beyond the school’s interior. Ms Quinn added, “We have been requesting important traffic management work, but this has been put on hold again, despite severe congestion and danger at drop-off and collection time.” The NIAO projected that constructing all planned new schools in Northern Ireland could take over 30 years and exceed £3bn. Other school leaders have recently voiced concerns regarding the state of their premises, leading to some children learning in environments affected by problems such as damp, mould, and mouse infestations. Northern Ireland has approximately 1,100 schools serving 350,000 pupils. The NIAO has criticized the Department of Education (DE) for its lack of “complete, accurate, timely, and accessible information” concerning the condition of schools. The watchdog stated, “The department cannot determine the proportion of the estate that is unsuitable for the delivery of education.” The comprehensive NIAO report also indicated that major renovation projects for schools could take between six and 10 years to complete. Furthermore, the NIAO reported that addressing all necessary maintenance for schools like Rathcoole would cost £450m, yet the department possesses “no long-term maintenance plan.” Since 2017, schools have submitted requests for more than 6,000 maintenance repairs and upgrades to assist disabled pupils, but only 550 of these have been addressed. Currently, only “unavoidable” minor and essential maintenance works are being undertaken. The department attributed this to budgetary constraints when speaking to the watchdog. The spending watchdog also characterized the department’s approach to school buildings as “reactive” rather than strategic. The NIAO report warned, “Without effective estate management, the quality of buildings is deteriorating, and the lifespan of school buildings, even new buildings, will be considerably reduced.” The NIAO additionally noted that none of the 72 major school building projects approved by the department in 2017 have been completed to date. These delays have impacted approximately 35,000 pupils across the 72 schools awaiting significant construction work. Funding issues for new school buildings, initially promised under the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement, were also highlighted by the NIAO. Around £150m was subsequently allocated to a general fund for the Northern Ireland Executive’s use, rather than being specifically designated for schools. Consequently, 10 schools awaiting these funds remain uncertain about the exact timeline for their new buildings. The NIAO has put forth several recommendations, including more frequent surveys of school building conditions and the establishment of an effective school maintenance plan. While Emma Quinn acknowledged the support from individual maintenance staff at the Education Authority, she emphasized the necessity for systemic change. She stated, “We need a clear, transparent, and easily accessible maintenance system that supports all schools,” adding, “One that is fit for purpose, affordable, and reliable.” Despite the report’s critical assessment of the department, Education Minister Paul Givan welcomed its findings. He commented, “There has been historic underinvestment in the schools’ estate,” and added, “We are now facing a twin crisis of an ageing schools’ estate and requiring large numbers of additional specialist places for rapidly increasing numbers of children with special educational needs.” Minister Givan asserted, “Children across Northern Ireland have the right to be educated in schools which are comfortable and safe, are of good quality, and are properly designed and resourced to support their learning.“ He concluded, “This will require a significant step change in the level of capital investment by the Northern Ireland Executive.”