K-P Orders School Safety Inspections of All Government Schools After Peshawar Roof Collapse
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered school safety inspections of every government school building in the province after a classroom roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar killed at least 31 people. The Elementary and Secondary Education Department issued the directive on Thursday, asking the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to form qualified technical teams in each district to assess school buildings for structural defects and safety hazards.
The move follows the collapse at Al-Khair Education System in Dir Colony, Peshawar, where at least 30 students and a teacher were killed and several others injured. The three-storey building in the densely populated neighbourhood was described as being in a dangerous condition, and its location in narrow streets hampered rescue operations.
Under the directive, the district teams will inspect roofs, ceilings, walls, beams, foundations, staircases and other structural components in coordination with district education authorities. Male and female district education officers will both be involved so that boys’ and girls’ institutions are all covered by the exercise.
What the school safety inspections will classify
Each inspected building will be placed in one of three categories: safe, requiring repairs or improvement, or potentially unsafe and in need of urgent technical assessment. The teams will recommend repairs, structural strengthening and rehabilitation, along with priorities and timelines for the work.
For every school, the teams will issue a building safety clearance certificate or no-objection certificate stating its structural safety status, whether it is fit for continued use, and any conditions or repairs required.
Buildings found to pose an immediate threat to students and staff must be reported to district authorities without delay, the department said. The teams will also recommend precautionary steps, including restricting access to dangerous buildings or suspending their use where necessary.
The C&W Department has been asked to submit comprehensive district-wise inspection reports by noon on October 26, detailing structural deficiencies, safety classifications and recommended remedial measures. The department stressed that the exercise is a top priority to safeguard students, teachers and staff, and directed authorities not to wait for the province-wide survey to finish before acting against buildings found to be immediately dangerous.
The Peshawar collapse that triggered the order
The roof collapse occurred at a private school with 110 enrolled children, according to Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr Mian Saeed. A spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital said 33 bodies, including 32 children and a teacher, had been brought to the facility, while Naseerullah Babar Memorial Hospital received the bodies of two more children.
The school owner has been taken into custody, and police said a case would be registered. The capital city police officer said the roof had been poorly constructed. The provincial education department has separately constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate the collapse and submit its report on an urgent basis. Feature Pakistan covered the tragedy as it unfolded: the death toll rose to 28 with the owner arrested and rescue teams worked through the rubble in Dir Colony.
The tragedy has raised wider questions about building safety standards for educational institutions. Karachi’s authorities recently found 162 buildings non-compliant with fire safety rules, and debates over school building rules continue — a reminder that the structural risks now flagged in K-P exist in other provinces too.
Frequently asked questions
What will the school safety inspections cover?
Technical teams in every district will inspect roofs, ceilings, walls, beams, foundations, staircases and other structural components of all government school buildings, in coordination with district education authorities.
What happens to schools found unsafe?
Buildings that pose an immediate threat must be reported to district authorities without delay. The teams can recommend restricting access or suspending the use of dangerous buildings, along with repairs and timelines.
When will the inspection reports be ready?
The C&W Department must submit district-wise reports by noon on October 26, covering structural deficiencies, safety classifications and recommended remedial measures.
What caused the Peshawar school roof collapse?
Police said the school’s roof was poorly constructed. The school owner has been taken into custody and a case will be registered. A fact-finding committee is investigating and will submit its report urgently.
