Schools Are Crumbling. Why?
We keep hearing that schools are crumbling on the news. But what’s causing this? Why is the situation so dire?
Partly, it has to do with government policies. But, of course, it goes deeper than that.
For parents, teachers, students and society as a whole, this is bad news. Countries need to invest in their young people.
But something is going wrong in our institutions. What is it?
That’s what we’re about to find out. This post looks at the deeper reasons schools are crumbling and what, if anything, they can do about it.
So, what’s going wrong?
Overcrowding
One issue is sheer overcrowding. Government departments cram as many students into schools as they can for efficiency.
This tactic reduces teaching quality and leads to more wear and tear on infrastructure. Under a setup like this, things depreciate far more rapidly.
The solution? A reduction in student density. This may happen naturally as the population of young people declines. But it should be a purposeful decision to keep schools running longer, even if they don’t fit older efficiency metrics.
Climate Change
Climate change could also be having an impact. Schools are crumbling because post-war and Victorian infrastructure can’t defend against modern weather challenges, like heat waves, heavy rainfall, high winds and flooding. School buildings built temporarily in the 1960s were never intended to become long-term homes for students and their lessons.
Unfortunately, the scope for correcting these issues is limited. While rebuilding projects could work, capital for these is unlikely to be available. Instead, the plan should be to scale back by abandoning the least capable build environments and using those that are more robust.
Neglected Maintenance
Neglected maintenance is also a reason our schools are crumbling. Many are not investing in their electricals, plumbing and other essential services.
Fortunately, this problem is something that many schools can solve. All it requires is hiring professionals with the right skills to solve the problems. That’s it.
Bureaucratic Delays
Issues with bureaucracies are also holding schools back. Organizational structures mean that there are so many layers of approvals that have to take place, and very few things get done if nothing at all.
These delays are okay if they last a month or so. But if they continue for years, that’s where you start running into problems with buildings. It’s just so hard to keep up with everything.,
Technology Over Infrastructure
The obsession with technology is also holding a lot of schools back. Many people at the top of these organizations believe that investing in the latest systems is a way to bring the future forward to today, only to forget that that’s not how things usually work.
This problem is solvable by simply changing priorities at the management level. Handing over more responsibility to building work and less on simply ticking tech boxes is an excellent way forward.
So here you have it: some of the reasons why schools are crumbling. Can you identify with any of these factors? Or has your school got its building priorities right?
