Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh – On August 5, 2025, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the demolition of all decaying school buildings across the state, putting student and teacher safety first. The directive, aimed at tackling unsafe infrastructure in government-run schools, has the Basic Education Department scrambling to identify and tear down shaky structures. With reports of crumbling classrooms and risky buildings piling up, Yogi’s move is a bold step to protect kids and restore trust in the education system.
The order comes after a string of alarming incidents and media campaigns, like Dainik Jagran’s “How Safe Are Schools?” drive, which exposed 114 hazardous school buildings in Gautam Buddha Nagar, Ghaziabad, and Hapur alone. These schools, many with cracked walls and leaking roofs, pose serious risks. Yogi’s government has instructed district officials to urgently inspect and verify the condition of all council schools, with a technical committee tasked to finalize the list of buildings to be razed. Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh was clear: “Children’s safety is non-negotiable.” He warned that any officer failing to act will face strict action if a collapse or accident occurs.
The plan doesn’t stop at demolition. The state is gearing up to rebuild these schools, with Rs 150 crore earmarked for the project, aiming for completion by March 2026. In Noida and Greater Noida, local authorities are pitching in to fund new buildings. For now, classes in unsafe structures are banned, with students shifted to safer classrooms, panchayat halls, or village secretariats. Schools that can’t be demolished immediately must be sealed and marked with warnings like “entry prohibited” to keep kids out. The government also stressed regular cleaning to prevent waterlogging and debris buildup, which can worsen structural damage.
This isn’t Yogi’s first crackdown on unsafe infrastructure. His administration has a history of decisive action, from clearing illegal religious sites to halting controversial demolitions in Lucknow’s flood zones last year. But the scale of this campaign is massive, with every district under orders to act fast. Posts on X reflect public support, with users praising Yogi’s focus on safety, though some worry about disruptions to classes. With over 1.5 lakh government schools in UP, the task is huge, but the message is clear: no child should study under a crumbling roof.
