K-P Launches Provincewide Drive to Identify Unsafe School Buildings

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has begun identifying unsafe school buildings across the province after receiving reports and social-media footage highlighting structures that may endanger students and employees. Education Advisory Council member Dr Aamir Abdullah said the authorities had started examining the information and considering the safety measures required at potentially hazardous institutions.

Initial reports have reached the relevant departments, allowing officials to locate buildings that may require urgent attention. The initiative relies partly on videos and information submitted by residents, giving education authorities an early warning system for structural problems that might otherwise remain undocumented until formal inspections take place.

The drive follows a deadly roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar that killed at least 30 children and a female teacher. More than 50 people were injured in the incident, intensifying concerns about the condition of educational buildings and the need for systematic checks before students and staff are allowed to continue using vulnerable structures.

Abdullah said the Elementary and Secondary Education Department had responded promptly to the reports. He praised departmental teams for continuing their work during the weekly holiday so that information supplied by citizens could be reviewed without unnecessary delay and buildings presenting possible risks could be identified.

The education adviser also acknowledged residents who recorded unsafe conditions and forwarded evidence to the authorities. He described public reporting as an important civic responsibility, arguing that cooperation between communities and government departments could expose hazards earlier and create additional time for preventive action.

Identifying a building as potentially unsafe is only an initial step. The information gathered through public reports is expected to help the authorities determine which schools need detailed structural assessment and what measures may be required to protect students, teachers and other employees. Depending on the findings, individual sites could require repairs, restricted access or other safeguards.

The process carries particular significance because school-building failures can place large numbers of children at risk with little warning. A provincewide review can also help establish a clearer picture of infrastructure weaknesses, enabling decision-makers to prioritise the most dangerous sites instead of responding only after an accident has occurred.

Authorities have urged citizens to continue reporting visibly damaged or potentially dangerous educational buildings. Continued participation could expand the reach of the identification exercise, particularly in communities where official inspection resources are limited and local residents are often the first to observe cracks, deterioration or other warning signs.

The next stage will depend on how quickly the submitted reports are verified and converted into practical safety decisions. Sustained coordination among education officials, technical personnel and communities will be necessary to determine the scale of the problem, carry out inspections and ensure that identified hazards are addressed before further lives are placed at risk.