76 schools declared unsafe in district, threat looms large over students, staff

As many as 76 government schools in the district, including 40 primary and 36 middle, high and senior secondary schools, have been declared unsafe. These pose a persistent threat to the lives of thousands of students and teachers across the district due to their weak structures.

The matter has been brought to the attention of district education officers (elementary and secondary), but the risk remains till the buildings are either renovated or alternative arrangements are made, a process that may stretch from several weeks to over a year.

Sources within the Education Department revealed that despite the urgency of the matter, delays persist not only due to procedural bottlenecks but also due to the reluctance of school heads and faculty members, at times.

“Many principals and in-charges hesitate to report unsafe structures, fearing additional workload in case of relocation or new construction,” said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

According to data from the District Education Office (Elementary), as of July 2025, 66 government primary schools were under observation. Of these, 42 saw some form of intervention — either shifting to new buildings or renovation of unsafe portions — while 24 remained unsafe. Sixteen more schools were added to the list recently, raising the count of unsafe primary schools to 40.

Additionally, 36 middle, high and senior secondary schools were declared either wholly or partially unsafe. Beyond these, files concerning 10 more unsafe school buildings are pending with the Public Works Department (PWD) and nine others are awaiting action from the respective block committees.

“If all pending cases are included, the number of unsafe middle and senior secondary schools will touch 50. But the files keep moving from one department to the other and by the time any action is taken, the monsoon will be over. This is a yearly ritual, concern peaks during rains, and then everyone forgets. A building can collapse any time — not only in monsoon. Are they waiting for a tragedy to act?” asked the principal of a senior secondary school, part of which has remained unsafe for over six months now.

An official at the Education Department explained that while rural schools were generally surveyed and flagged on time by the PWD, urban schools suffered due to delayed inspections, despite repeated reminders and correspondence.

Teachers pointed out that getting grants sanctioned for renovation or new construction often required navigating complex procedures under various schemes.

DEO (Secondary) Dimple Madan said updated lists of unsafe schools were being prepared and necessary action was being taken for either relocation or fresh construction.

DEO (Elementary) Ravinder Kaur said renovation and reconstruction were ongoing and grants were being released in time to schools that submitted proper requisitions.

Despite official assurances, the ground reality suggests an urgent need for a coordinated and time-bound action plan to ensure the safety of schoolchildren and staff before a potential disaster takes place, as occurred in August 2023 at the GSSS, Baddowal.