First it was the forgotten of Grenfell Tower, now it’s our children.

It defies belief that the majority of new schools are not fitted with sprinkler systems, according to figures released by the Government.

The Grenfell Tower fire, you’ll remember, killed 72 people. Nearly two years later, 67 households still don’t have permanent accommodation.

The thoughts and prayers of the politicians and the people who could actually do something about what remains a national disgrace have long been exposed as empty soundbites.

So it comes as no surprise to find that it is our kids who are now expendable to the money men who want to continue doing things on the cheap.

Fewer than one in six new schools are being built with sprinklers – a figure which breaches the Government’s own advice on fire safety.

In response to a question from Labour MP Stephanie Peacock, a former teacher, school standards minister Nick Gibb conceded just 105 of the 673 schools built and open by February were fitted with sprinklers.

Official figures show that only one in 15 free schools approved by the Government had them.

For context, around 7,000 fires have been reported on educational premises over the past 10 years. We know all about ministers failing to adequately fund our schools with the staff and equipment for learning.

In the words of Nadine Houghton from the GMB Union, however, these new numbers uncover “a callous disregard for the safety of pupils and the staff who support them”.

Our authorities love banging on about learning the lessons of preventable disasters while warnings stare them in the face.

Last November the BBC’s excellent documentary, The Fires That Foretold Grenfell, provided a haunting insight into five missed chances to save lives by actually spending the money to fit the proper equipment.

The programme was punctuated with solemn-faced politicians at Westminster’s despatch box, promising to do better.

The truth is, we all know a very different reality.

Faced with the choice between saving lives and saving money, our lives and those of our kids are most likely to come a distant second.

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