CHILDREN attending a Renfrewshire primary school are being forced to
endure deplorable classroom conditions, and last night their local MP
demanded that finance is immediately made available to improve the
property.
Worried parents last week kept pupils away from classes in Johnstone's
Cochrane Castle Primary school as a protest over the poor state of the
building, and asked Mr Gordon McMaster, MP, to come and see conditions
for himself.
They claim that children often have to keep their coats on because of
the cold and wet conditions caused by the the roof leaking, and that
large sections of plaster have fallen from ceilings, pails litter the
floors to catch the drips, the antiquated heating system constantly
breaks down, and ill-fitting windows allow the wind and rain in.
Yesterday, Mr McMaster went back to his old school in the town's Beith
Road to investigate the parents' complaints.
After seeing the problems at first hand, he said: ''The situation is
absolutely deplorable. I will be inviting Lord James Douglas-Hamilton,
Scottish Minister for Education, to come here and see these conditions
for himself.
''In the first instance I will be giving support to regional
councillor Andy Ferguson, in a call to Strathclyde's education
department for funds to have the roof fully repaired.''
Mrs May McAllister, secretary of the Parent-Teacher Association, said
200 pupils were kept away from their classes on Friday in a protest over
the conditions.
She added: ''Last Monday the boiler broke down and portable gas
heaters were brought in.''
A regional council spokesman said later: ''There was a bad leak which
has been repaired and our department of architectural and related
services will now be evaluating the full maintenance requirements of the
roof.''
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