The Education Secretary has sparked controversy after claiming that children actually prefer learning in portacabins rather than traditional classrooms. Gillian Keegan faced tough questioning after it was revealed that an additional two dozen schools have been found to have faulty concrete. The number of schools dealing with the issue has risen from 147 to 174 in just two weeks. To accommodate students during repairs, around 29 schools have ordered almost 250 temporary classrooms and toilets to prevent a return to remote learning.
Favoring Portacabins
Keegan defended her position during a grilling in the Commons, stating, "I have been to a number of these schools and seen children and met children in the portacabins. And in fact at the first school I went to the children were all petitioning me to stay in the portacabins because they actually preferred it to the classroom."
However, her comments were met with criticism from Labour's shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson, who accused the Conservative government of underinvesting in schools. Phillipson said, "Nothing better sums up thirteen years of Conservative underinvestment in our schools than the Education Secretary's pride at children begging to learn in portacabins rather than stay in crumbling classrooms."
Lack of Delivery
The ongoing crisis took another turn as officials were unable to provide information on how many of the ordered mobile classrooms had actually been delivered. This lack of clarity frustrated MPs who were seeking answers regarding the progress of the repairs.
Holiday Controversy
Adding fuel to the fire, it was revealed that Keegan had taken a summer vacation to Spain after being made aware of the concrete crisis in schools. The Education Secretary claimed she went on the trip for her father's birthday, stating, "I went abroad because that was the first time I could go abroad. I went abroad for my father's birthday knowing that I would still be chairing the meetings."
Keegan also took the opportunity to criticize the previous Labour government, stating that three schools built under their repair scheme were now experiencing issues with faulty concrete.
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