PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government on Oct 15 directed the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to constitute 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.
Earlier in the day, a roof collapse at Al-Khair Education System in Dir Colony claimed precious lives and left students and teachers injured, prompting concerns over the structural safety of educational institutions.
In a letter issued on October 15, the Elementary and Secondary Education Department asked the C&W Department to nominate qualified technical teams for every district to conduct a comprehensive assessment of school buildings in coordination with the respective district education authorities.
The teams will examine roofs, ceilings, walls, beams, foundations, staircases and other structural components to identify defects, maintenance issues and potential safety hazards.
Under the terms of reference, the inspected buildings will be classified into three categories: safe, requiring repairs or improvement, and potentially unsafe buildings requiring urgent technical assessment.
Buildings found to pose an imminent threat to students and staff must be reported immediately to the relevant district authorities, with recommendations for precautionary measures, including restricting access or suspending their use where necessary.
The department has 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, are covered by the exercise.
The C&W Department has been asked to submit comprehensive district-wise inspection reports, detailing structural deficiencies, safety classifications and recommended remedial measures, by October 26 at noon.
The teams will also be required to issue a building safety clearance certificate or no-objection certificate (NOC) for each inspected school, indicating its structural safety status, suitability for continued use and any conditions or repairs required.
The education department has stressed that the exercise be treated as a top priority, given the need to safeguard students, teachers and other staff in government educational institutions across the province.
The directive also makes clear that authorities must not wait for the province-wide survey to conclude before acting on buildings identified as posing an immediate safety risk.
