Dilapidated school building in Rawalpindi's Doberan Kalan puts hundreds of girls at risk

Doberan Kalan, a rural town in the Rawalpindi district, is home to the historic Government Girls Higher Secondary School, which houses hundreds of students. The school has undergone several upgrades over the years, transforming from a basic girls' school to a higher secondary institution. With 540 girls enrolled, the teachers have consistently achieved remarkable results, considering the limited resources at their disposal.

However, the dilapidated condition of the building poses a significant risk to the students. Eight rooms of the school are in dangerous condition due to cracks in the walls and roof, while only five classrooms are barely usable. The government has funded the construction of two new rooms, but these projects remain incomplete due to a lack of further funding. Local residents express their concerns, with parents of the students constantly worrying about the safety of the building as the gaps in the walls continue to widen.

Raja Zafar, a member of the school council, credits the upgrade to higher secondary level to the special efforts of Sadiq Sanjrani when he was the Senate chairman and visited the area. Nevertheless, the building's condition cannot be improved without additional funding. Yasin Baloch, the Chief Executive Officer of the District Education Authority in Rawalpindi, has forwarded recommendations for the reconstruction of the eight dangerous rooms to the provincial authorities in Lahore. Baloch also visited the school last week to assess the situation firsthand.

The school council members have urged the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the provincial Minister for Education, Rana Sikandar Hayat, to address the urgent need for funds to reconstruct the building. They emphasize the importance of providing a safe learning environment for the students to continue their education without the constant threat of structural instability.