RAWALPINDI: The District Education Authority Rawalpindi has launched a project worth Rs116 million to convert 126 primary and high schools to solar energy.

Talking to Dawn, District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Tariq Mehmood said work on the solarisation of government schools had been started at a cost of Rs116 million.

He said in the first step, Government Girls Higher Secondary School Dheri Hassanabad was transformed into a solar school. He added that the school accommodated more than 1,200 students, and it became a model school in the province.

He explained that as per the plan, Rs0.8 million would be spent on solar panels in each primary school, while Rs1 million would be spent on each higher secondary school.

Further, after the solarisation, science laboratories in the schools will be opened for students without any hurdle.

Rs0.8 million will be spent on solar panels in each primary and Rs1m in each higher secondary school, says DEA chief

Mr Mehmood said electricity charges had increased in the schools over the last many years and the government wanted to save money to smoothly run the education system by converting schools to solar energy.

“The solarisation of schools is part of the Rs938 million development package of Punjab for the upgradation of schools in Rawalpindi district,” he said.

He also said that the District Education Authority completed 50 per cent work on the construction of 197 additional rooms in 111 schools in the district at a cost of Rs437.407 million. “As many as 89 classrooms will be constructed in 54 school dangerous buildings at a cost of Rs76.7 million,” he added.

CEO Tariq Mehmood said that 155 washrooms were being constructed in 87 schools while Rs47.7 million had been allocated for this, adding that 50 per cent work had been completed and the payment for 50pc work released while the government will release the remaining amount in a day or two.

Mr Mehmood stated that Rs142.7 million was being spent to construct the boundary walls of 151 schools. He said that 4,340 desks and 361 chairs will be provided to 242 schools within a month costing Rs78.116 million.

For drinking water in the schools, the CEO said a survey of the schools was conducted last month which found 47 schools in the district required water pumps. In this regard, 47 pumps will be installed in these schools to the tune of Rs39.95 million.

He said that the quality testing of water is being carried out in all the government-run schools, and filtration plants will be installed in these schools.

He said that the missing facilities will be completed within three to four months, and the children will get education in a better environment.

Apart from this, he expressed that the government-run schools in the garrison city were integrated with the Safe City Authority, and the work to install Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras had been installed so far, and the remaining work is likely to be completed by January end.

He said that after the installation of solar energy system in the schools, the security cameras will run around the clock. He said that for the safety of the children, the CCTV cameras will ensure the security system.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2026