Classes in derelict school buildings halted
Classrooms are crowded as pupils start the new school year in Yemen, especially since over 2,500 schools have closed in the country's civil war, with those open taking on as many extra students as they can. PHOTO: AFP
In response to growing concerns for students' safety, the Rawalpindi District Education Authority has forbidden school principals from conducting classes in classrooms that are in dilapidated condition.
The Punjab Ministry of Education issued an official circular to the chief executive officers of all district education authorities, instructing them to make alternative arrangements.
The circular emphasised the caretaker government's concern about the safety of students and teachers. Furthermore, it called for the demolition of these decrepit classrooms and the construction of new ones.
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The official communique warned of consequences for school heads and teachers who continue to use such facilities.
In response to this directive, tehsil education officers have sought an immediate implementation report. The decision has been welcomed by parents, who had submitted written complaints to the Ministry of Education regarding the condition of these classrooms. They have also urged the swift construction of new classrooms.
It is important to note that these issues stem from the aftermath of the devastating 2005 earthquake, which damaged 37 school buildings in the four hilly tehsils of Rawalpindi district—Murree, Kotli Sattian Kahutta, and Kallar Syedan.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2023.