Pakistan tuition centre collapse kills 14 children

The roof of a tuition centre in the Kahna suburb of Lahore collapsed on Tuesday, killing at least 14 children and injuring others. Pakistani authorities have taken two people into custody in connection with the incident. The tuition centre—a small private institution offering after-school instruction to neighbourhood children—had been operating without documented safety certification or structural inspection records, according to local officials.

The collapse occurred during afternoon classes, when the centre was at full capacity. Rescue workers pulled children from the rubble for hours, and the final death toll may yet rise. The incident has renewed scrutiny of Pakistan's informal education sector, where tens of thousands of small tuition centres operate across urban and rural areas with minimal government oversight.

The tragedy reflects a broader pattern across South Asia: the expansion of private, low-cost education services has outpaced the regulatory infrastructure needed to ensure safe working and learning conditions. Many tuition centres operate from converted residential buildings or temporary structures, employing teachers on informal contracts with no formal training or certification requirements.