The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered an immediate halt to teaching in dilapidated and dangerous school buildings. The move aims to protect students and staff from potential safety risks.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Department issued a notification outlining the new instructions. It directed district education officers, headmasters and school heads to identify schools with deteriorating buildings. Furthermore, officials must take immediate steps to stop classes in buildings declared unsafe.
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The department also instructed school authorities to arrange alternative facilities in consultation with the relevant district education officers. These arrangements will allow authorities to address safety concerns while considering how to continue educational activities.
According to the notification, Communication and Works Department engineers will conduct structural surveys of schools identified as dangerous. These assessments will help determine the condition of the buildings and their safety risks.
Meanwhile, district education officers and school heads must identify buildings that require urgent attention. The directive places responsibility on relevant officials to flag unsafe premises and coordinate alternative arrangements.
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The order applies to schools with dilapidated or dangerous buildings across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, the notification did not specify how many schools currently fall into this category.
The department’s instructions require officials to prioritise safety before allowing teaching to continue in buildings considered dangerous. Further action will depend on the identification process, structural surveys and arrangements made with district education authorities.