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In some flood-prone parts of Assam, schools do not stand on land at all. Instead, classrooms operate on specially designed boats that travel through the waters of the Brahmaputra river, bringing education to children living in isolated river islands and villages cut off during the monsoon season.
During floods that occur in Brahmaputra river region every year, roads and villages are cut-off due to floods, and therefore children cannot access normal schools. For months, people living there remain surrounded by water and thus unable to move to any place including schools.
To ensure education continues in such conditions, floating schools operating on boats were brought into use by organizations.
These schools are operated on boats that move through
char lands in rivers where islands are formed due to sand movement in rivers. Students study onboard boats from teachers.
Some floating schools run on solar energy.
It is reported that the boat houses some solar panels which generate energy that helps in lighting, use of fans, computers, and e-learning facilities. The boats also have books, blackboards, and other teaching aids which help in the teaching process.
Students embark on boats from river banks and surrounding villages.
Some of the students enrolled in these institutions are from communities frequently affected by flooding and displacements. Some of the students receive education on these boats as the only mode throughout the monsoon season.
Floating classrooms act as mobile classrooms and community centers.
Apart from the regular classes, some floating classroom boats organize some awareness programs on hygiene, disaster management, and healthcare for areas affected by floods.
This program has attracted the attention of the whole nation and even the world over the years.
Educationists and environmentalists have praised Assam’s floating schools as unique initiatives in times of climatic changes and geographical problems.
Such floating education projects have also surfaced in different areas of Kashmir.
In Srinagar, floating classes on Dal Lake have enabled children from water settlements to pursue their studies amid transport problems.
In Assam, the floating schools run primarily in times of floods when normal schools are out of bounds.
Teachers sometimes cover a long distance using river routes to teach children from distant settlements.
Presently, the floating schools in India stand as one of the most unique educational programs.
A simple means devised to cope with annual floods has turned out to be an extraordinary model whereby boats equipped with teachers, textbooks, and students operate as moving schools in certain waterlogged zones of the country.
