K-P orders safety inspections of all government schools after Peshawar tragedy

Directs C&W Department to form district teams to inspect school buildings for structural defects and safety hazards

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government on Thursday directed the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to form technical teams to inspect all government school buildings across the province following the deadly collapse of a classroom roof at a private school in Peshawar that claimed at least 31 lives.

In a letter issued on Oct 15, the provincial Elementary and Secondary Education Department asked the C&W Department to nominate qualified technical teams in every district to conduct a comprehensive assessment of school buildings in coordination with the relevant district education authorities.

The move follows the roof collapse at Al-Khair Education System in Dir Colony, where at least 30 students and a teacher were reported killed, while several others were injured, raising concerns about the structural safety of educational institutions.

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According to the directive, the technical teams will inspect roofs, ceilings, walls, beams, foundations, staircases and other structural components to identify defects, maintenance issues and potential safety hazards.

The inspected buildings will be classified into three categories: safe, requiring repairs or improvement, and potentially unsafe buildings requiring urgent technical assessment.

The teams will also recommend repairs, structural strengthening and rehabilitation measures, along with implementation priorities and timelines for corrective action.

Buildings found to pose an immediate threat to students and staff must be reported to the relevant district authorities without delay. The teams will also recommend precautionary measures, including restricting access to such buildings or suspending their use where necessary.

The department directed the technical teams to coordinate with male and female district education officers to ensure that all government schools, including separate boys’ and girls’ institutions, were covered by the exercise.

Read: At least 30 children, teacher killed as school roof collapses in Peshawar

The C&W Department has been asked to submit comprehensive district-wise inspection reports by noon on Oct 26. The reports must detail structural deficiencies, safety classifications and recommended remedial measures.

The teams will also issue a building safety clearance certificate or no-objection certificate (NOC) for each inspected school, specifying its structural safety status, suitability for continued use and any conditions or repairs required.

The education department stressed that the exercise must be treated as a top priority to safeguard students, teachers and other staff at government educational institutions across the province.

It also directed authorities not to wait for the completion of the province-wide survey before taking action against buildings identified as posing an immediate safety risk.

The roof collapse occurred in a three-storey building in the densely populated Dir Colony area, which was described as being in a dangerous condition and at risk of further damage.

Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim had initially said that 33 bodies, including those of 32 children and a teacher, had been brought to the hospital. Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Ibrahim of Naseerullah Babar Memorial Hospital said the bodies of two children had also been brought to the facility.

Also Read: 11 killed in Lahore building collapse

Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed said the school owner had been taken into custody and that a case would be registered in connection with the incident.

Speaking to the media, he said the school’s roof had been poorly constructed and that the building’s location in narrow streets had hampered rescue operations. He added that 110 children were enrolled at the school.

Following the incident, the provincial Elementary and Secondary Education Department constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate the collapse and directed it to submit its report on an urgent basis.