Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has ordered comprehensive safety inspections of all government school buildings across the province following a deadly roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar's Dir Colony.
The directive, issued by the provincial Elementary and Secondary Education Department on Thursday, instructs the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to establish qualified technical teams in every district to assess the structural condition of educational institutions.
The decision follows the collapse of a classroom roof at Al Khair Education System, where at least 31 people, including students and a teacher, were reported killed. Several others sustained injuries.
According to the official directive, inspection teams will examine roofs, ceilings, walls, beams, foundations, staircases and other structural components to identify defects, deterioration and potential safety hazards.
School buildings will be classified into three categories: structurally safe, requiring repairs or improvements, and potentially unsafe structures requiring urgent technical assessment.
The teams will recommend necessary repairs, structural strengthening and rehabilitation measures, specifying priorities and timelines for corrective action.
Buildings posing an immediate danger to students or staff must be reported to district authorities without delay. Officials have also been instructed to recommend precautionary measures, including restricting access or suspending the use of unsafe structures.
The inspections will cover government schools for both boys and girls, with technical teams coordinating directly with district education officers.
The C&W Department must submit comprehensive district wise inspection reports by noon on October 26. Each report will identify structural deficiencies, classify buildings according to their safety status and recommend remedial action.
Authorities will also issue building safety clearance certificates or no objection certificates (NOCs) for inspected schools, indicating whether the premises are suitable for continued use.
The education department has emphasised that urgent safety measures must not be delayed until the province-wide inspection exercise is completed.
Meanwhile, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed confirmed that the owner of the private school had been taken into custody following the collapse.
He said the building's roof had been poorly constructed, while narrow streets surrounding the school had complicated rescue operations. The institution reportedly had 110 enrolled students.
The provincial government has also constituted a fact finding committee to investigate the incident and determine the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The tragedy has raised concerns about school infrastructure and building safety standards across the province, prompting authorities to prioritise structural assessments and preventive measures.
