Peshawar School Roof Collapse: 28 Children Reported Dead, UNICEF Urges Safety Checks

UNICEF extended its sympathies to those bereaved and expressed concern for the injured children, wishing them a swift and full recovery.

At least 28 children and one teacher were reportedly killed when the roof of a private school collapsed in Dir Colony, Peshawar, according to a UNICEF statement. Most of the children were under 14, and more than 50 children were injured in an incident that has left families grieving and others hoping for their children's recovery.

UNICEF expressed deep sadness over the reported deaths and offered its condolences to the families and communities affected. The organisation called for urgent action on school building safety, saying every child should be able to attend school without their life being put at risk.

Families face loss as injured children recover

For the families who lost children, the collapse has turned a place meant for learning and growth into the site of a devastating loss. A teacher also died in the incident, adding to the grief facing the school community.

UNICEF extended its sympathies to those bereaved and expressed concern for the injured children, wishing them a swift and full recovery. Its statement recognised the impact on the wider community, where families, classmates and teachers are dealing with the consequences of the collapse.

UNICEF offers psychological and social support

UNICEF said it stands ready to support the Government's response by providing psychosocial support to affected children, families and communities.

Such support can help people cope with the emotional distress that follows a traumatic event, giving children and their families space to express their fears and receive care as they process what happened. The offer recognises that the needs created by the collapse extend beyond physical injuries.

The statement described UNICEF's readiness to assist; it did not say that this support had already begun.

Urgent inspections demanded for public and private schools

UNICEF called for all schools, both public and private, to meet building safety standards and undergo regular safety inspections. It stressed that those standards must be strictly enforced to prevent similar tragedies.

The appeal places responsibility on ensuring that the buildings children enter each day are safe, with regular checks and enforcement forming part of their protection. The statement did not identify the cause of the roof collapse or establish whether any specific safety rules had been breached.

"Going to school should never put a child's life at risk," UNICEF said, calling for learning environments where children can grow and thrive, protected from harm.