3,000 dilapidated school buildings imperil students

As monsoon intensifies across Punjab, over 3,000 government school buildings have been declared structurally dangerous, posing a threat to the students and teachers.

Despite repeated warnings and assessments conducted over several years, the Punjab School Education Department has failed to carry out timely repairs or reconstruction of the deteriorating buildings.

According to official documents, schools are operating in unsafe buildings across several districts, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Narowal, Multan, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi.

In Lahore, hundreds of government school buildings have been reported as either partially or completely unfit for use. Several buildings in the city's old neighborhoods have crumbling walls, waterlogged classrooms and exposed electric wiring, while some roofs have collapsed under moderate rainfall.

Many of these schools have roofs leaking during mild rain, while some structures are at risk of collapse during heavy downpours or strong winds.

Sources revealed that these buildings had been marked as "unfit for use" years ago, with instructions issued for immediate repairs or rebuilding. However, the department has taken limited actions for the restoration work.

With the new academic session expected to begin in August after the summer break, there is fear that students might be forced back into unsafe environments.

Officials of the school education department said the government had allocated special funds in the new fiscal year to rehabilitate flood-affected and structurally compromised buildings. An amount of Rs5 billion has reportedly been earmarked for repair and reconstruction projects in 2025.

While this allocation brings some hope, education experts and civil society organisations argue that implementation of the projects must be swift and transparent.

They demand a clear timeline and accountability mechanism to ensure that repairs are completed before students return.