PESHAWAR: A special inspection conducted under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Human Capital Investment Project has revealed alarming irregularities and severe violations of construction standards in multiple government schools across Peshawar.
According to the elementary and secondary education department’s inspection report, many schools were found using substandard materials, lacking essential documentation, and employing unapproved construction practices. Poor workmanship was also frequently reported.
A total of 99 schools in Peshawar fall under this project, and inspections of several facilities revealed highly concerning results. The project, funded with $115 million from the World Bank, aims to upgrade educational infrastructure in selected districts, but the latest findings have raised serious questions about its quality control mechanisms.
At the government higher secondary school in Hayatabad, inspectors discovered missing material test reports and even a blank site register. The report highlights the use of untested, low-quality gravel, reduced slab thickness (4–5 inches instead of the approved 6 inches), and undersized bricks. Weak mortar ratios and poor brickwork were also identified as serious violations.
The most critical situation was found at the girls’ primary school, Ali Muhammad Banda, where RCC columns began to crumble with slight impact. The concrete was determined to be far below the approved mix ratio, posing severe structural safety risks.
Similarly, safaid sang girls Higher Secondary School showed evidence of low-quality aggregates, substandard bricks, thin slabs, and poorly compacted earth filling. Site records were also missing.
At the regional professional development centre, inspectors reported poor-quality distemper, dangerously low-gauge electrical wiring, and inconsistent, inferior ceiling tiles.
The inspection committee has recommended strict action, calling for the immediate provision of all material test reports. It has also ordered the removal of all substandard materials and replacement with approved quality supplies. In cases where construction has deviated from approved design standards, the committee recommended demolishing and rebuilding the affected elements.
Further recommendations include issuing non-compliance reports against contractors, suspending payments, and redoing electrical and finishing work according to approved standards.
The report clearly states that no payment should be approved for any school until corrective measures are completed and all works are retested.
The findings have triggered concerns about oversight, accountability, and the safety of school infrastructure meant to benefit thousands of students in the province.
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