Beyond Condolences: The Urgent Need for School Safety -

By Junaid Qaiser
The deaths of at least 33 children and a teacher in the collapse of a school building in Peshawar should force Pakistan to confront an uncomfortable question: how many more children must lose their lives before the safety of our schools becomes a genuine national priority?
The children who died at Al Khair school in Dir Colony had arrived for an ordinary morning of classes. Their parents had sent them to school expecting them to return home after lessons, carrying books, sharing stories and talking about their day. Instead, families found themselves waiting outside a damaged building as rescue workers searched through the rubble for their children.
For those parents, the loss is beyond words. For the state, it should be a moment of serious reflection and immediate action.
The tragedy is particularly painful because it was not the first of its kind. In June, 14 children died when the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed in Lahore’s Kahna area. Two days later, another school roof collapse in Baghbanpura claimed the life of an eight-year-old child. Now, Peshawar has witnessed another devastating loss.
These incidents are not simply unfortunate accidents to be mourned and forgotten. They raise fundamental questions about building safety, regulatory oversight and the responsibility of those entrusted with protecting children.
Condolences are necessary. Prayers for the deceased and support for grieving families are equally important. But neither can substitute for accountability. If the country responds to another school tragedy with statements of sorrow, the formation of inquiry committees and promises of future action, it will have failed to learn the most important lesson of Peshawar.
The urgent task is to ensure that no child’s life is put at risk because a building was unsafe, an inspection was neglected or a warning went unheeded.
Preliminary findings by police suggest that the Al Khair school building had structural weaknesses and a poorly constructed roof. Authorities have indicated that the building was overloaded and that the roof slab could not withstand the weight placed upon it. The collapse reportedly brought down classrooms on several floors, trapping children beneath the debris.
The school’s owner has been arrested, and investigators have been directed to examine possible violations of building regulations and determine whether negligence contributed to the disaster.
These findings must be investigated thoroughly before responsibility is assigned. Yet they already point towards a wider problem that cannot be addressed by prosecuting one individual alone.
Pakistan has witnessed too many occasions when a tragedy produces an immediate official response, followed by weeks of discussion and little visible change. Committees are formed, reports are promised and strict action is announced. Yet the public is often left without a clear account of what was discovered, who was held responsible and what measures were taken to prevent another incident.
Peshawar must not become another example of that pattern.
The provincial authorities should publish the findings of the investigation and explain what corrective measures will follow. Every educational building identified as structurally dangerous should be closed until qualified engineers certify that it is safe for use. Where defects can be repaired, reopening should depend on verified compliance rather than assurances from owners or administrators.
The audit must cover more than registered private schools. Government schools, tuition centres and institutions operating in converted residential properties should all be included. Authorities must also establish whether buildings have been modified or overcrowded beyond their approved capacity.
Enforcing safety standards will require resources, planning and cooperation between education departments, local governments and building regulators. Some schools serving low-income communities may need technical assistance to address structural deficiencies. Responsible school operators should have access to clear guidance on the standards they must meet.
But assistance must never become an excuse to leave children inside buildings that pose an immediate danger.
If a school cannot safely accommodate its pupils, authorities must arrange appropriate alternatives wherever possible. Closing an unsafe building may disrupt education, but allowing children to remain there could cost lives. The answer is to address the safety problem while ensuring that children do not lose access to education unnecessarily.
Emergency preparedness also deserves greater attention. Rescue workers reportedly faced difficulties reaching the Al Khair school because it was situated on a narrow street. This should prompt authorities to examine emergency access, evacuation arrangements and the ability of schools to respond to fires, collapses and other serious incidents.
The families who lost children in Peshawar deserve more than sympathy. They deserve a credible investigation, justice where wrongdoing is established and practical support as they face an unimaginable loss. The injured children must receive the best possible treatment, while their families should not be left to bear the burden alone.
The government must also recognise that public confidence will depend on what happens after the headlines fade. Announcements made in the immediate aftermath of a disaster are easy. Sustained enforcement, transparent reporting and institutional reform require commitment.
The real tribute to the children who died in Peshawar will be a Pakistan in which every school is inspected, every serious safety violation is addressed and every authority is held responsible for the duties entrusted to it.
Beyond condolences, the country needs action. Its children cannot afford another promise that goes unfulfilled.