Over the past three years, schools have witnessed cleaning costs skyrocket by 60 per cent(Image: Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)
Escalating cleaning costs could lead to a resurgence of so-called ‘Victorian street diseases’ in Northern Ireland schools, teachers have warned.
This comes after a teaching union described how some teachers are being asked to assist in the cleaning of their schools.
Jacquie White, General Secretary of the Ulster Teachers’ Union, voiced these concerns ahead of the union’s two-day conference this week (March 19 and 20) in Limavady.
“If schools are to remain safe, healthy environments for staff and children it is essential that adequate cleaning cover is in place given the central role our cleaners play in the day to day running of schools,” she said.
“Whilst there’s no confirmed causal link between cleaning cuts and disease outbreak in schools, it can be no coincidence that since costs have rocketed we’ve seen growing concerns about the possibility of the return of diseases which should be consigned to the Victorian era.
“However, in practice what’s happening is that if cleaning staff are absent there seems to be no effective system in place to provide adequate cover and school staff are forced to step in to try to fill the gap.”
This results in classrooms, corridors, toilets and shared spaces potentially not being maintained to necessary standards, compromising health, hygiene and the overall school environment, she added.
“We have already seen one school close for a number of days to accommodate a deep clean following a health alert and we cannot allow this to be repeated,” Jacquie White continued.
Over the past three years, schools have witnessed cleaning costs skyrocket by 60 per cent, amounting to over £100,000 in some instances, as the Education Authority claims it can no longer bear the burden.
“This has left already cash-strapped schools struggling to pick up the costs by sometimes diverting money from the curriculum and children’s resources,” Jacquie warned.
“For some schools, the sums involved could equate to the cost of two teachers, leaving principals with impossible choices.
“It’s not unreasonable for schools to want assurance that staffing arrangements for cleaning personnel are robust and responsive with the provision of appropriate absence cover or recruitment to fill gaps.
“Our cleaning staff must be properly valued, supported and equipped so our teachers and children can work in a clean and safe environment, conducive to learning.”
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