RAWALPINDI: As many as 79 buildings of government schools in Rawalpindi district have been declared dangerous.
The local administration has asked the District Education Authority to conduct a survey and present a report about remaining school buildings.
There are more than 1800 schools in the district and 323 of them have been outsourced, but the buildings are still in the government possession and 79 of them have been declared dangerous.
These figures were shared with participants of a meeting held with Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema in the chair.
The meeting was held to review work on construction and repair of school buildings declared dangerous. The meeting was attended by all assistant commissioners, the head of District Education Authority and officials from concerned departments. The meeting was told that 79 school buildings had been declared dangerous across the district.
“Work on repair will be started after the approval of school management councils. There is no School Management Council in many tehsils,” the meeting was informed.
The deputy commissioner directed to complete the process of formation of school councils and establishment of Internal Audit Committees as soon as possible. The District Education Authority chief gave a briefing about the progress and performance so far.
The deputy commissioner directed that officers of good reputation and dignitaries of the area should be included in the school councils to ensure transparency and best results. He said these councils will have an autonomous status and will be authorised to complete projects worth up to Rs10 million for construction and repair of schools at their own level.
On the other hand, a senior official of the education authority told Dawn that the new survey of the school buildings would be launched next week to check damages after monsoon rains.
He said that there was no flooding recorded in the district. He said that there were only few incidents of damages reported last month, but no major damages to the structure.
He said that the report from school principals will be sought and if any damage was reported the building department would examine the building.
“But all this exercise has to be done during the summer vacations which are about to end. The district administration realised to take such a decision too late,” he said.
When contacted, District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Tariq Mehmood said the survey of school buildings will be launched next week.
Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025
