FAISALABAD: Three students of the Government Islami Madrassa High School, Muhammadpura, sustained multiple injuries when a part of the ceiling of a classroom they were sitting in fell on them on Saturday.

Students said they were sitting an exam in the room specified for their class when its rundown ceiling fell on their fellows and injured three of them.

Teachers told reporters only one student had received minor injuries. However, some students standing outside the school told the media teachers were concealing facts and in fact three of their fellows were injured.

An injured student, Bahadur Ali, received 13 stitches on his head, Tayyab received an injury on his forehead and Saad on his arm.

Teachers were not present in the classroom when the incident happened, students claimed.

On being informed, the school administration called the Rescue 1122 service.

Ali told Dawn he was sitting in the classroom when a part of the cemented ceiling fell on him. All students immediately rushed out and informed the teachers. He said Rescue 1122 shifted him to General Hospital, Ghulam Muhammadabad, where he got 13 stitches on his head.

Students claimed teachers had a number of times informed the school head to get the ceiling of the classroom repaired that could cause an untoward incident, but to no avail.

Requesting anonymity, some teachers said buildings department officials had been informed in writing about the required repair work. However, the officials did not pay heed. They said the school had shifted to the building a couple of years ago and one of its portions was in a rundown condition. They said ceilings of other rooms could also collapse anytime because of their dilapidated condition.

District Coordination Officer Noorul Ameen Mengal said a survey would be conducted throughout the district to gather details of the schools whose buildings were in a shambles. He said the buildings department would repair such institutes from the maintenance and repair budget.

Published in Dawn January 18th , 2015

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