Punjab Province

Vehari: [Tariq Aziz Ansari District Coordinator ReNews Pakistan]
An important meeting regarding building fitness certificates for public and private schools was held in Vehari under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Khalid Javed Goraya. The meeting reviewed the safety standards of educational institution buildings and the implementation of government SOPs.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Khalid Javed Goraya directed all public and private schools to ensure the acquisition of building fitness certificates.
He said the survey of school buildings should be completed at the earliest, adding that legal action would be taken against those operating schools without valid fitness certificates.
The Deputy Commissioner said public and private educational institutions must strictly comply with government SOPs. He made it clear that children should not be taught in unsafe or dilapidated buildings, while such structures should be sealed immediately to prevent any untoward incident.
Khalid Javed Goraya said the protection of students and teachers is the top priority of the district administration. He added that all necessary measures would be completed on a priority basis to maintain parents’ confidence and ensure a safe future for children through a secure educational environment.
Additional Deputy Commissioner General Ghulam Murtaza, CEO Education Nasir Aziz, DEO Elementary Female Andleeb Asghar, DEO Elementary Mehr Muhammad Javed, District President Private Schools Association Mian Jahanzeb and other school owners attended the meeting.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has made building fitness certificates mandatory for private schools across the province, under which the strength, stability and safety standards of private educational institutions will be formally assessed.
According to sources, a building fitness certificate has been proposed as a mandatory requirement for school registration and renewal of registration. The certificate will be issued by the Buildings Department. In Lahore, around 3,500 private schools fall within the registration framework, and authorities have recommended adopting a structured mechanism for inspecting their buildings.
According to the official letter, a proposal has been made to appoint a third party consultant for the inspection of private schools. It has also been recommended that the responsibility be assigned to an independent engineering firm so that school buildings can be examined in an impartial and technical manner. A uniform survey of private schools across Punjab has also been proposed.
The letter revealed that many private schools are operating in residential buildings, while several structures have not been approved for institutional purposes. In addition, the building plans and structural records of several school buildings are not available, raising safety concerns for students, teachers and staff.
To ensure building safety, a comprehensive structural assessment has been proposed, along with destructive and non destructive testing of buildings. Officials said the purpose of the technical inspection is to ensure the safety of students studying in private schools and identify unsafe buildings.
The letter issued by the Punjab Communication and Works Department has sought an immediate policy decision from the School Education Department. The letter was sent in light of a communication from the CEO DEA Lahore.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has described the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” programme as a bold initiative aimed at bringing real change to public lives, saying that progress is never achieved through fear or hesitation, but through courage, vision and practical action.
Addressing a forum on urban development and sustainable future in Baku, the Punjab Chief Minister said every leader must understand that progress is never timid, and that courage is what creates real change. She said the success and impact of any government are not measured by speeches, but by the changed lives of the people.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif said the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” programme is a practical expression of this people-centred vision, designed to provide dignified housing facilities to low income and middle class citizens so that ordinary families can move away from the burden of rent and uncertain living conditions and become homeowners.
The Punjab Chief Minister said they were taking a shared message from Baku that safe, resilient and sustainable cities are not privileges, but an equal and fundamental right of all humanity. According to her, the provision of housing, civic facilities and a secure environment are areas of public welfare that directly affect citizens’ daily lives.