RAWALPINDI: Over 500 students at Government Kohinoor Girls High School in Rawalpindi are attending classes in sweltering conditions under tin sheds with no electricity, fans, or drinking water, as the second shift continues to operate without basic infrastructure.
The school, overseen by the Punjab Education Department, accommodates around 2,000 students across two shifts. The second shift—held in a makeshift structure with tin roofs and no ventilation—has become unbearable as temperatures soar. By mid-morning, classrooms turn into ovens, leading to frequent nosebleeds among students. Over 200 students have already stopped attending due to the extreme heat.
Despite repeated complaints from parents and teachers, the Education Department has not provided funds, citing a severe financial crisis. Teachers have resorted to holding classes under trees. Parents have submitted protest letters to PML-N MNA Malik Abrar, who promised new classrooms, but the plan stalled due to land ownership issues.
The school building for the morning shift remains intact, but second-shift students continue to study in dangerous conditions. Teachers who raise concerns are reportedly issued warnings. Appeals to the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, and Chief Minister’s Complaint Cell have gone unanswered.
Frustrated by inaction, parents and local traders have formed an action committee. They are demanding that students be shifted to a nearby old, solid building that remains unused and that immediate steps be taken to provide fans and clean drinking water. Many parents have already pulled their children out of the school or transferred them elsewhere.
The District Education Authority’s spokesperson said summer vacations are near and that a permanent solution may be considered after the break. However, for students currently enduring the unbearable heat, that response offers little relief.
