K-P begins process to identify unsafe school buildings across province

Member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Advisory Council for Education, Dr Aamir Abdullah, has said that the process of identifying unsafe school buildings across the province has been initiated, with authorities taking steps to ensure necessary safety measures following reports and videos shared on social media.

The statement came days after at least 30 children and a female teacher were killed and more than 50 others injured when the roof of a private school collapsed in Peshawar on Thursday, hospital authorities confirmed.

He said initial reports had started reaching the relevant authorities, enabling the Education Department to identify potentially hazardous school buildings and take timely action to address safety concerns.

Dr Abdullah said the initiative was launched in response to information circulating on social media about the condition of school buildings. He stressed the importance of identifying structures that could pose risks to students, teachers and other staff members and ensuring that appropriate measures were taken to prevent possible accidents.

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

He praised the Elementary and Secondary Education Department for its prompt response, saying its team had worked continuously despite the weekly holiday to facilitate the identification process and ensure that the information provided by citizens was examined without delay.

Appreciating the efforts of the department’s officers and staff, he described their dedication and commitment to the task as highly commendable. He said their continued efforts reflected a strong sense of responsibility towards the safety and well-being of students and educational staff.

The education adviser also expressed gratitude to citizens who had recorded videos highlighting unsafe school buildings and shared them with the relevant authorities. He said public participation had played an important role in drawing attention to potential hazards that required immediate examination.

Dr Abdullah said citizens who brought such issues to the authorities’ notice had fulfilled an important social responsibility. He added that cooperation between the public and government departments could help identify risks at an early stage and facilitate timely preventive measures.

He urged continued cooperation from citizens in reporting potentially dangerous conditions in educational institutions, saying such information could assist the authorities in assessing the situation and determining the steps needed to improve safety.

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The initiative assumes particular importance in view of concerns over the structural condition of school buildings and the need to provide students and teachers with a safe learning environment. The identification process is expected to help the relevant authorities determine which buildings require further inspection and what safety measures may be necessary.

He expressed hope that the collective efforts of government officials, education authorities and responsible citizens would contribute to protecting students and staff and ensuring safer conditions in educational institutions across the province.