LAHORE, September 26, 2025: Punjab’s education minister revealed that over 3,000 schools have been destroyed by floods, disrupting learning for thousands of children as the government launches emergency measures, including three school shifts, rented buildings, and tent classrooms, while also waiving semester fees for affected students.
Key Highlights
- Over 3,000 schools destroyed across Punjab, thousands of students affected
- Government to start three shifts in functional schools, rent private buildings, and set up tent schools
- Semester fees waived, scholarships announced for flood-hit students
- Villages in Multan, Lodhran, and Bahawalpur submerged under 8–10 feet of stagnant water
Punjab Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat revealed on Thursday that devastating floods have destroyed more than 3,000 schools, severely impacting the education of thousands of children. He shared these details during a meeting with UNICEF’s Representative to Pakistan, Pernille Ironside, where both sides discussed joint efforts to ensure continuity of learning in flood-affected areas.
The Punjab floods highlight the urgent need for infrastructure resilience and swift recovery efforts to safeguard both education and public health.
The minister acknowledged that the education department was already grappling with shortages before the disaster. Now, with many schools submerged, authorities plan to run three shifts in operational schools, rent private buildings, and establish tent schools in flood-hit districts. Full rehabilitation of damaged schools is expected to take around three months.
To ease the burden on families, the Punjab government has waived semester fees for students in affected regions and announced new scholarship schemes.
Villages Underwater
Meanwhile, breaches at the Noraja Bhutta embankment on the Sutlej River have submerged dozens of villages in Multan, Lodhran, and Bahawalpur, where stagnant water up to 10 feet deep has destroyed homes and livelihoods. Locals report rising health concerns as waterborne diseases spread.
Frustrated residents blame inadequate motorway culverts for trapping floodwaters, urging authorities to breach sections of the road to drain water. The National Highway Authority, however, rejected the proposal, stating that water was passing through culverts and that protective measures were being reinforced.
You May Like To Read:
