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Almost half of teachers say their school or college is not “fit for purpose” after years of Tory austerity spending cuts.

And 22% said the state of their buildings leads to an unsafe environment for pupils and staff.

The National Education Union polled 670 members, who described leaking roofs, crumbling walls, damp and faulty boilers and heating.

Union chiefs said it highlighted the impact of cuts since 2015 which put a “severe squeeze” on the ability of schools and colleges to afford repairs.

(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The survey also highlighted the danger of asbestos, which is found in 86% of schools, but just 21% of teachers were aware they were working in a school that contained the killer dust particles.

At least 319 teachers have died from mesothelioma since 1980, and 205 of those are since 2001.

This month the Department for Education revealed a £400million pot for building repairs, but this cash is only available to academies and sixth form colleges. Kevin Courtney, of the NEU, said: “Our children deserve to be taught in buildings fit for purpose.

“This disastrous trajectory of decay has gone on long enough.”

Meanwhile, a think tank warns that asbestos poses a “national health crisis” unless there is urgent government action.

And an ‘asbestos audit” is needed to assess the amount of the material is in public buildings, schools and hospitals, according to a report by independent think-tank ResPublica.

The move is a key demand of the Mirror’s Asbestos Timebomb campaign and is backed by all the education unions, representing school leaders and teachers.

The think-tank also calls on the government to commission a cost-benefit analysis for the prioritised, phased

removal of all asbestos from public buildings in the UK.

In a report, ResPublica says the UK should adopt better monitoring technologies, as used in France, Germany and the Netherlands, to detect asbestos fibres.

Last week the Mirror revealed that an increasing number of teachers, nurses and office staff, are becoming victims after developing mesothelioma, an aggressive lung cancer caused by contact with asbestos fibres,

Experts predicted the asbestos death toll would leak several years ago , but it is still claiming 2,500 lives a year.

Phillip Blond, Director of ResPublica said:“Since the ban on asbestos 20 years ago, we’ve allowed this toxic material to sit in an increasing state of decay in our schools and hospitals.

“Now, unsurprisingly, we see (unacknowledged by the authorities) a rise in mesothelioma deaths among teachers and nurses; a tragic indictment of the current system of containment and control.

"A national health crisis awaits us and our children if we do not act now.”