DERA ISMAIL KHAN:Deputy Commissioner Hikmatullah Khan Wazir has constituted tehsil-level committees to conduct an immediate structural safety audit of all public and private school buildings across the district on the directives of the Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to an notification, the committees will inspect educational institutions to assess the structural strength and overall condition of buildings and determine their safety for students, teachers and other staff.
The respective Assistant Commissioners will head the committees, which will include technical representatives of the Communication and Works (CandW) Department, male and female education departments, tehsil municipal administrations or building control authorities, and the Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA).
The inspection drive will cover government and private schools, including institutions operating in rented premises and residential buildings being used for educational purposes.
Particular attention will be given to buildings constructed without proper technical supervision.
The committees will examine cracks in walls and roofs, deteriorating foundations, damaged structural sections, unsafe extensions and other potential hazards.
Following the inspections, buildings will be classified into three categories: safe, requiring repairs, and unsafe.
Buildings requiring specialised technical assessment will be referred to qualified structural engineers for detailed evaluation and recommendations regarding repairs, rehabilitation, structural strengthening or reconstruction.
Each committee will prepare a separate report for every school, documenting its location, ownership status, structural defects, photographic evidence, safety classification and proposed corrective measures.
The Deputy Commissioner has directed the relevant authorities to take immediate precautionary measures if any school building poses a serious threat to students or staff.
These may include restricting access, evacuating the premises or temporarily suspending educational activities until the necessary safety measures are implemented.
The notification further directs the Assistant Commissioners to personally supervise the inspection process, while the CandW Department will provide qualified technical staff. Relevant departments and school administrations will ensure cooperation with the committees.
The committees will submit daily progress reports to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, detailing the number of schools inspected, their safety classifications, high-risk buildings identified and the action taken or proposed.