education: damning verdict on pfi
WORKERS, MARCH 2003 ISSUE
RESEARCH PUBLISHED by the Audit Commission on the role of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in the provision of schools is damning in its critique of government policy. PFI primary and secondary schools are "significantly worse"in terms of space, heating, lighting and acoustics when compared with traditionally funded and designed schools. PFI schools failed in design and value for money against the government’s criteria.
In other words PFI schools are small, shoddy and hugely expensive to the public and very profitable to the construction companies. The research advised the government against forcing local authorities to use PFI schemes. However, although the Audit Commission is the government’s watchdog, its report will be ignored, to protect various political and economic vested interests.