Kilkeel High School had to close for a time due to flooding caused by a faulty plumbing system.Photo: Google maps
Local DUP councillor Henry Reilly said the school was closed on Wednesday this week and describes the state of the building as ” decrepit” and “ridiculous”.
He noted that the school opened a week late this term due to work ongoing on the school toilets.
“My concern now is that local pupils in the Mourne area have lost even more educational time because of flooding in the Kilkeel High School premises,” he said.
“The Education Authority needs to get its priorities right and refurbish or replace schools that are in desperate need of modernisation, rather than put ideological educational policy before genuine need.
“It is clear to any objective assessment that certain schools are getting preferential treatment.”
A spokesperson for the Education Authority said: “The Education Authority apologises for any disruption caused at Kilkeel High School due to localised overnight flooding on 26 September 2023. This was as a result of a failure in existing pipework in the proximity of the separate project to construct three new toilet blocks.
“The EA worked closely with the contractor to urgently address any repairs to the affected area of pipework and allow the school to reopen.”
The EA said previously in relation to the school that the sector is facing “unprecedented pressures” for capital investment across the entire schools’ estate, with a funding gap of over £200m.
It invested in building and other maintenance work at Kilkeel High School including the recent completion of an extensive toilet refurbishment project, it added.
uk.news.yahoo.com
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/kilkeel-high-school-closed-temporarily-162407482.html
