Commenting on the news that the company behind the largest schools Private Finance Initiative contract in England is going into liquidation, Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union said:

“The collapse of Transform Stoke Schools Ltd exposes the shocking failure of the use of PFI contracts in education. Regrettably this underlines what NASUWT has consistently warned about for years.

“Schools, staff and pupils are being left with unsafe buildings and unfinished repairs while private contractors walk away with millions of pounds of public money.

“Outsourcing and profiteering in public services leaves communities exposed, while the burden of failure falls on taxpayers. Schools should never have been forced into long-term contracts that prioritised private profit over children’s learning environments.

“The council must now guarantee that every outstanding repair is completed, that warranties are secured, and that schools are not left to pick up the bill. Teachers and pupils deserve safe, high-quality classrooms not crumbling facilities and the taxpayer being ripped off.”