Govt moves against unsafe schools

District officials ordered to ensure registration of all institutions

LAHORE:

The Punjab School Education Department has decided to launch a crackdown on unregistered private schools and unsafe educational buildings across the province.

The decision has been taken in the wake of an incident of school roof collapse in Dera Ghazi Khan that claimed the lives of several children.

According to officials, the department has issued strict directives to all deputy commissioners and chief executive officers (CEOs) of education across Punjab to ensure the registration of every private school operating in their districts.

Authorities have also sought complete data regarding registered and unregistered schools, signaling regulatory action against institutions violating safety and legal requirements.

The deadly incident in Dera Ghazi Khan renewed concerns over the condition of aging and poorly maintained school buildings, especially those operating without official approval or structural inspections.

Education department officials admitted that hundreds of private educational institutions in Punjab were functioning without complete registration documents, approved building maps or mandatory safety clearances.

"Many schools are operating in rented houses or old structures lacking emergency exits, fire safety arrangements and proper ventilation.

Under the new directives, district administrations have been ordered to submit a detailed compliance report within seven days. Authorities have also been asked to share the record of fines imposed on schools operating illegally or without registration," said a school education department official.

Sources in the department revealed that authorities in several districts had failed in recent years to conduct regular inspections, allowing numerous schools to continue functioning unchecked.

The department has now made building fitness certificates compulsory for both government and private schools throughout Punjab.

All institutions have been instructed to obtain structural fitness certificates from the communications and works (C&W) department to prove that their buildings are safe for students and staff.

The officials said the policy was aimed at preventing accidents caused by negligence in monitoring the educational infrastructure.

Parents and civil society organisations have also questioned the effectiveness of existing inspection mechanisms. Many believe authorities usually become active only after a major accident occurs. Education activists argue that weak enforcement, influence and corruption have enabled unsafe schools to operate for years without accountability.

"Several private schools continue to function in dangerous buildings because inspections are either delayed or compromised. The DG Khan incident was not the first. Many such incidents happened in the Punjab in the past," said an education rights campaigner, Qamar Butt. He said the recent incident should serve as a wake up call for the entire system.