Work on dilapidated building of govt school to begin soon

Rawalpindi

Punjab government has assured construction of dilapidated building of Government Islamia Higher Secondary School No-1, Liaquat Bagh soon. 

Government Islamia Higher Secondary School No-1, Principal Izhar-ul-Hasan told this scribe that the provincial government has assured the construction of the dilapidated school building while taking notice of stories published in ‘The News’ time and again. 

However, the exact timeframe and amount due for construction of the school has not been announced so far.  

The principal said that he has already declared around 10 rooms of the school no go area for anybody due to their dilapidated condition. 

“The roofs of 10 classrooms out of 48 collapsed a long time ago, but the concerned authorities are perhaps waiting for a serious incident in the school being run by the Punjab government. The school, located in the heart of the city, has more than 800 students, whose lives are in danger due to the dilapidated condition of the building,” he added. 

After the collapse of left portion roof of the school, the administration declared both portions (left and right) dangerous where 10 classrooms existed. However, it is difficult to keep students away from the dilapidated building. 

Previously more than 1,200 students were enrolled in the school, but now there were only 800. A large number of parents has stopped sending their children to the school and got them enrolled in other academic institutions as they fear that its building would collapse anytime. The school building used to have 48 classrooms and a spacious hall. But now, 38 classrooms have been left, as roofs of 10 rooms have collapsed.  

According to Principal, the Government Islamia Higher Secondary School No-1 was built in 1886. Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah visited the school twice in his life.

Parents have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to take action, as the lives of their children were at stake. We cannot afford the fee of other schools, so the provincial government should start construction work in the school on emergency basis, the parents appealed. 

Even, the district education department has declared around 261 educational institutions buildings in Rawalpindi dangerous. 

The condition of Government Jamia Islamia High School, Murree Road, Government Faizul Islam School, Trunk Bazaar, Pahalvi School, Faizabad, Mission High School, Raja Bazaar, Government Zai-ul-Uloom High School, Government Primary Girls School, Tench Bhatta, Government Islamia Higher Secondary School No-1, Liaquat Bagh and several other buildings are very poor and need early construction but the authorities concerned are taking the matter non-seriously. 

According to reliable sources this fiscal year, the Punjab government will release only Rs250 million against the education department’s demand of Rs2 billion.