PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered a province-wide structural safety assessment of all government school buildings following a tragic classroom roof collapse at a private school in Peshawar that resulted in deaths and injuries among students and teachers.
In an official letter issued on October 15, 2026, the Elementary and Secondary Education Department directed the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to nominate qualified technical teams for every district to conduct comprehensive inspections of public school buildings.
The directive follows instructions from the Advisor to the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for Education after the roof collapse at Al-Khair Education System, a private school located in Dir Colony, Peshawar.
The incident prompted concerns over the structural condition of educational institutions and the need for preventive measures to protect students, teachers and other school staff.
District-Wise School Safety Survey Ordered
According to the official notification, technical teams will inspect government school buildings across the province in coordination with district education authorities.
The inspections will cover roofs, ceilings, walls, beams, foundations, staircases and other structural components to identify defects, deterioration and potential safety hazards.
The teams will also assess the overall physical condition, maintenance requirements and suitability of school buildings for continued educational activities.
The department has directed that the exercise cover all government schools, including separate institutions for male and female students, to ensure comprehensive assessment across every district.
School Buildings to Be Classified Into Three Categories
Under the terms of reference outlined in the notification, technical teams will classify inspected school buildings into three categories based on their structural condition.
The categories include buildings considered safe, those requiring repairs or improvements, and structures identified as potentially unsafe and requiring urgent technical assessment.
For buildings requiring intervention, the teams must recommend appropriate repairs, structural strengthening, rehabilitation or other corrective measures, along with their priority and proposed implementation timelines.
The classification is intended to help authorities identify buildings requiring immediate attention and establish priorities for necessary safety improvements.
Unsafe Buildings to Be Reported Immediately
The Education Department has instructed inspection teams to immediately inform the competent district authorities if any school building presents an apparent and imminent threat to the lives of students, teachers or other staff.
In such cases, the teams must recommend precautionary measures, including restricting access to affected buildings or suspending their use wherever necessary.
The notification makes clear that potentially dangerous structures must be reported without waiting for completion of the province-wide inspection exercise.
Authorities have also been asked to establish an effective mechanism for addressing identified structural deficiencies and obtaining the necessary technical clearance before potentially unsafe buildings are permitted to remain in use.
October 26 Deadline for Inspection Reports
The Communication and Works Department has been directed to ensure that district-wise comprehensive inspection reports are submitted to the Elementary and Secondary Education Department by 12 noon on October 26, 2026, without fail.
Each report must include the findings of the inspection, classification of school buildings, identified structural deficiencies, recommended remedial measures and proposed timelines for corrective action.
The technical teams will also be required to submit a Building Safety Clearance Certificate or No Objection Certificate (NOC) for each inspected government school building.
These certificates must specify the structural safety status of each building, its suitability for continued use and any conditions or remedial measures required.
District Education Officers Directed to Cooperate
All District Education Officers, both male and female, have been instructed to provide necessary assistance to the nominated technical teams.
They will be responsible for facilitating inspections, providing relevant records and coordinating with district authorities to ensure that all government school buildings are covered.
The notification has also been forwarded to senior provincial officials, including the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Chief Secretary’s Office, Additional Chief Secretaries and the Directorate of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The Education Department has described the matter as one of significant public importance and called for top-priority action to safeguard students, teachers and staff.
The province-wide inspection exercise is expected to provide authorities with a district-wise assessment of the condition of public school infrastructure and identify buildings requiring repairs, rehabilitation or urgent safety interventions.