Scottish Government's £300,000 bill to trim 2,000 classroom doors because of Covid
2 February 2022, 14:32
The Scottish Government is to spend £300,000 cutting the bottom off 2,000 classroom doors in order to improve ventilation to combat the spread of Covid.
The plan is part of a £5m scheme to improve air flow in schools, and was outlined by the Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville to MSPs in a letter which also confirmed that four per cent of rooms in Scotland’s schools and nurseries had been identified as having “problematic” CO2 levels.
Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesman, Wille Rennie, told LBC News that the plan was “ridiculous” and “farcical”.
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“We’re two years into the pandemic and three terms into this school year, the Scottish Government has been begged, encouraged and supported to bring forward proper ventilation air filtration systems in all classrooms, but only now, just after the New Year spike are we learning they're going to invest in just 2000 classes across Scotland,” he said.
“The fact that 2000 are well below the quality standard we need for air is shocking. The fact we have waited this long to get it done is just horrendous.
“We are getting to the ridiculous stage now that they're going to spend £300,000 on cutting the bottoms off classroom doors instead of spending proper money, proper investment to improve air quality for the longer term.
“This is just farcical and that's why we've got no confidence in the Scottish Government's method for controlling the infection rates in schools.”
He said the government should not be looking for “quick fixes” and added: “We know the virus is going to be with us for a long time. We know that infection generally in schools spreads quite fast and we know that good air quality aids education in the school.
"So why on earth are we taking these quick fix measures of cutting the bottom of doors and opening windows in the middle of a freezing winter, when we should be investing for the long term with proper air filtration systems?
“The money up until now has gone on CO2 monitors and measures like opening school windows that were seized shut but the new money - this £5m which is a fraction of what's been invested in other areas through this pandemic - is going to be primarily going on air filters but also this £300,000 pounds on cutting the bottom off doors.”
In her letter to MSPs, Ms Somerville set out a list of three potential “remedial measures” for the 2,000 problematic classrooms, including air filters or purifiers as a “temporary measure” and extractor fan units as a “longer-term solution”.
She added: "Finally, we have assumed the door in the example space will need to be undercut to increase airflow, at a cost of £150, in line with business ventilation fund guidance.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was asked by LBC about the move and said: “Willie Rennie should possibly maybe educate himself a bit more. Having adequate space under doors is an important way of improving airflow in some spaces where perhaps that is one of the rectifications that is needed."
“It's not the only way so there will be air filtration systems on a temporary basis and mechanical ventilation systems. All of these are important ways of improving ventilation and air flow in classrooms and not all classrooms or learning species across the country will need these kind of measures.
“But some do and that's why the Scottish Government has provided funding it to enable these things so I think politicians should probably spend less time coming up with what they think sound like clever sound bites and actually focus on what the Scottish Government is seeking to do which is support those on the frontline make those changes.”
