PESHAWAR — A deadly roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar has exposed widespread structural decay across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s public education system, with preliminary inspection reports identifying dozens of deteriorating school buildings and classrooms in districts throughout the province.
The inspections were launched after the tragedy at Al-Khair Education System in Peshawar’s Dir Colony, where 32 children and two female teachers were killed and more than 40 children injured when the building gave way three days ago. The school’s owner was subsequently arrested.
Inspections Reveal Alarming Conditions
According to the provincial education department, the preliminary findings paint a grim picture of school infrastructure across multiple districts:
- Buner: Four of six classrooms at a government school in Badal were declared dilapidated.
- Charsadda: Fifteen of 20 classrooms across three government schools were found to be in poor condition.
- Lower Dir: The buildings of three government boys’ schools were declared unfit for use.
- Karak: Both classrooms at a government school in Bami Banda were found to be dilapidated.
- Lakki Marwat: Four of five classrooms at two government schools were reported to be in poor condition.
- Mardan: Four of 15 classrooms across two government schools were declared dilapidated.
- Dera Ismail Khan: All 25 classrooms across two government schools were reported to be in a dilapidated condition.
- Haripur: The buildings of three government girls’ schools were declared completely dilapidated.
Social Media Videos Prompt Provincial Response
The education department said the initial data was compiled using videos shared on social media after the provincial government appealed to citizens to highlight schools in need of urgent repairs. The circulation of footage showing deteriorating school conditions online prompted authorities to act.
Warnings Ignored Before Tragedy
According to the first information report registered in the Peshawar case, students had raised concerns with the school management about the deteriorating condition of the building, warning that its walls and roof could collapse. The FIR states that their complaints were not addressed.
Police said around 110 children were present at the school at the time of the incident, which occurred within the jurisdiction of Yakatoot police station. The FIR names the school’s owners, co-owners and contractor, and alleges that substandard construction materials were used in the building.
Province-Wide Safety Drive Underway
Following the tragedy, the provincial government ordered safety inspections of private school buildings across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and formed inquiry committees at the district level to assess structural safety. The inspection drive is ongoing, with authorities vowing to hold accountable those responsible for neglecting building standards.
