School buildings should be routinely inspected by education chiefs, it has been claimed.
The Scottish Conservative party wants Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIe) to bring school estates inspections under its remit.
The call follows the closure of the sports hall at the Community School of Auchterarder due to safety concerns.
The issue of school safety hit the headlines last April after schoolgirl Keane Wallis-Bennet was crushed to death by a falling wall in a changing room at Liberton High School in Edinburgh.
Her death prompted safety checks at schools across the country.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife and the party’s spokeswoman for young people, has previously said HMIe should be inspecting school properties.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of children while they are at school,” she said. “We must make sure that all concerns are investigated following the tragic death of Keane Wallis-Bennett at Liberton High School in Edinburgh.
“If the priority of school inspections is to ensure there are the highest standards when it comes to learning and teaching, the Scottish Government needs to recognise that school accommodation is part of that process and every possible step should be taken to identify sub-standard buildings.”
She added: “While clearly the maintenance of school buildings is the responsibility of the local authority, I think everything possible has to be done to help them identify problems early on and this is one way that could happen.
“The earliest possible detection is required and there is a strong case to ensure that Education Scotland is given the additional powers to raise concerns should they deem this necessary. This is something that happens elsewhere in the UK and I think we owe it to Scottish schools to do the same.”
Ms Smith said she has asked local council officials to confirm a start date for repairs at Auchterarder.
“I have written to Bernadette Malone, chief executive of Perth and Kinross Council, to ask for an urgent update regarding the closure of the sports hall at the Community School of Auchterarder due to safety concerns and for a timetable for when works will start to address the safety concerns.”