ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered urgent structural safety inspections of all government school buildings across the province after a classroom roof collapsed at a private school in Peshawar, killing people and injuring students and teachers.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Department issued the directive on October 15, asking the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to form qualified technical teams in every district to assess school buildings and identify structures that could endanger students and staff.
The move followed the deadly roof collapse at Al-Khair Education System in Dir Colony, Peshawar, which raised fresh concerns about the structural safety of educational institutions.
Read Also: International Community Mourns Children Killed in Pakistan School Roof Collapse
Technical teams to inspect school buildings
Under the directive, the C&W Department must nominate technical teams to conduct comprehensive inspections in coordination with district education authorities, covering both boys’ and girls’ government schools across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The teams will examine roofs, ceilings, walls, beams, foundations, staircases and other structural components to identify defects, maintenance problems and potential safety hazards.
Officials will classify inspected buildings into three categories: safe for use, requiring repairs or improvements, and potentially unsafe structures requiring urgent technical assessment.
The teams will also recommend repairs, structural reinforcement and rehabilitation measures, specifying priorities and timelines for corrective work.
Read Also: Peshawar School Tragedy Exposes Dangerous Gaps in Building Safety and Oversight
Immediate action ordered for unsafe buildings
The education department has directed authorities to report any building posing an immediate threat to students, teachers or other staff to the relevant district administration without delay.
Precautionary measures, including restricting access to hazardous areas or suspending the use of unsafe buildings, must be recommended wherever necessary.
The department stressed that authorities must not wait for the completion of the province-wide inspection exercise before addressing buildings identified as immediate safety risks.
Read Also: Peshawar School Tragedy: Families Demand Justice From Previous PTI Government
Safety certificates mandatory for inspected schools
The technical teams will be required to issue a building safety clearance certificate or no-objection certificate (NOC) for every inspected school, documenting its structural condition, suitability for continued use and any repairs or conditions required.
The department has also instructed the teams to coordinate with male and female district education officers to ensure comprehensive coverage of all government educational institutions.
⭕ The death toll in the #Pakistan school roof collapse rose to 35 including a female teacher in #Peshawar. Most of the students were 7-13 year old.
Thousands joined in to attend the funeral with heart breaking scenes; and as they say 🥀 “smallest coffins are the heaviest.”
One top floor roof of the small building being used as a welfare school, collapsed in the morning and as people rushed for rescue the added weight and movement led to the collapse of second roof.
Around 110 #students were in the school. Many received minor injuries and a few are reported critical.
Poorer localities across the country have thousands of similar private schools that get no govt funding and are run with nominal fees; with little left to spend on safer buildings.
Years of political instability has led to a dysfunctional state of affairs; impacting every sphere of life.
#PeshawarSchool— Shafek Koreshe (@shafeKoreshe) October 15, 2026
October 26 deadline for inspection reports
The C&W Department has been directed to submit comprehensive district-wise inspection reports by 12 noon on October 26.
The reports must detail structural deficiencies, safety classifications and recommended remedial measures for the inspected buildings.
گورنر فیصل کریم کنڈی کی دیر کالونی میں سکول کی چھت گرنے کی وجہ سے شہید ہونے والے بچوں اور استانی کے گھر قمد
گورنر نے شہداء کیلئے اجتماعی تعزیت اور فاتحہ خوانی کی https://t.co/Zu0qV0rbqI
— Shahid Jan (@shahidjan612) October 16, 2026
The education department has declared the exercise a top priority, emphasising that protecting students, teachers and other school staff must remain central to the government’s response following the fatal incident.
