The Sindh government has decided to conduct fire safety audits of school buildings across the province. Officials will upload the collected data to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority web page. According to a notification, the School Education Department has appointed Deputy Secretary Ashraf Hussain Ansari as the focal person for the audits. He will coordinate matters related to the process going forward.
This move follows recent steps by the provincial government to strengthen fire safety arrangements at schools. In August, the Sindh Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions issued fresh directives to private schools. The directive required all privately managed schools to keep fire prevention systems functional at all times. Additionally, schools must install and regularly test fire alarms, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers on every floor. They must also place these systems at critical locations throughout each building.
Schools must also keep emergency exits unlocked and clearly marked. Staircases and evacuation routes must remain properly illuminated and free from obstructions. Therefore, students and staff should be able to evacuate quickly during any emergency. Furthermore, the directives required periodic inspections of electrical wiring and switchboards. Laboratories, kitchens, and generator rooms also fall under this inspection requirement, since officials consider them vulnerable to fire hazards.
Schools must further display updated evacuation plans and emergency instructions in visible locations. They must also conduct at least three fire evacuation drills during each academic year. Meanwhile, schools must maintain detailed records of these exercises for review. Instead of treating fire safety as a one time requirement, the province wants ongoing compliance built into each school’s routine.
Teaching and non-teaching staff must also receive training in fire emergency response and evacuation procedures. This training will include basic first aid, so staff can respond effectively during an actual crisis. Finally, the newly ordered fire safety audits suggest Sindh intends to enforce these rules more consistently across both public and private institutions. The province has not yet announced a firm deadline for completing the first round of audits.
