Over 4,000 govt school buildings declared ‘dilapidated’ in KP

PESHAWAR: As of October 27th, 2026, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elementary and secondary education department has declared 4,049 government schools as 'dilapidated' and in desperate need of reconstruction and rehabilitation. This urgent task aims to safeguard the well-being of students and educators within these facilities. The department's survey, conducted through district and tehsil formations, assessed the condition of government schools following the tragic collapse of a private school building in Peshawar's Dir Colony.

The incident claimed the lives of 31 students and a teacher, prompting the need for immediate action. To address this crisis, the department estimates that Rs16.2 billion will be required to rebuild and repair the affected schools. The reconstruction and rehabilitation project encompasses various aspects of these educational institutions, including 8,088 classrooms, 2,949 group latrines, and 48 examination halls.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Authority (ESEA) has been entrusted with inspecting private school buildings across the province. As of now, the ESEA has inspected more than 6,000 out of the 12,493 private schools registered with the Private Schools Regulatory Authority. This inspection process is expected to be completed within a week.

The survey has identified specific areas requiring significant financial investment for rehabilitation. For instance, in Abbottabad, 245 schools, comprising 130 girls' schools and 115 boys' schools, necessitate Rs1.098 billion for repairs. In Battagram, 59 schools, including 56 boys' schools and three girls' schools, are deemed dilapidated, with an estimated cost of Rs130 million for rebuilding 53 classrooms, 29 group latrines, and one examination hall.

Similarly, in Buner, 71 government schools, featuring 47 boys' schools and 24 girls' schools, require Rs386 million for the rehabilitation of 285 classrooms and 75 group latrines. Across Charsadda, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Hangu, Haripur, Karak, Kohat, Malakand, Mardan, Swat, and other districts, numerous schools have been deemed dilapidated, with varying costs ranging from Rs438 million to Rs1.7 billion needed for rehabilitation efforts.