Private school owners have expressed concerns over the recent actions taken by the Punjab Govt after two deadly building collapses at private educational institutions in Lahore. The incidents claimed the lives of 15 students and led to a province-wide crackdown on unregistered schools, academies, and tuition centres.
Representatives of private schools said they support strict safety measures to protect students. However, they believe the Punjab Govt should focus on institutions that violated safety rules instead of treating the entire private education sector the same.
School owners have also called for transparent inspections and clear procedures for registered institutions. They say schools that already meet legal requirements should not face unnecessary action.
The first tragedy occurred on June 30 at a private tuition centre in Lahore’s Kahna area. The centre was operating inside a residential building where construction work was reportedly in progress.
During a class, the roof suddenly collapsed and trapped students and a teacher under the debris. At least 14 children, aged between five and 16 years, lost their lives. Several others were injured in the incident.
Police later arrested the building owner and the contractor as part of an investigation into possible negligence. Officials said the tuition centre was unregistered and operating from an old building that was structurally unsafe.
Just two days later, another building collapse occurred at a private school in Lahore’s Baghbanpura area. A section of the under-construction building collapsed while a summer camp was taking place.
An eight-year-old student died in the incident, while four other people suffered injuries. Rescue 1122 responded with 25 rescuers and seven emergency vehicles. Rescue teams successfully pulled more than 10 children from the debris.
The two incidents increased the total student death toll to 15, raising serious concerns about safety standards in educational institutions.
Following the tragedies, the Punjab Govt issued notices to 744 unregistered educational institutions in a single day. Authorities gave the institutions three days to complete their registration process.
Officials warned that institutions failing to register could face legal action. Penalties may include fines ranging from Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 4 million under the Punjab Private Educational Institutions Ordinance, 1984.
The government has also made building fitness certificates mandatory for schools. Education authorities have been instructed to stop institutions from operating without valid registration and structural safety approval.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said there would be zero tolerance for safety violations. He added that protecting students remains the government’s highest priority.
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Meanwhile, private school representatives have urged the Punjab Govt to enforce safety regulations through fair and transparent procedures. They believe action should target negligent institutions while protecting schools that fully comply with legal and safety requirements.
