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Monsoon floods in Bihar have not only ravaged paddy fields but also severely disrupted the education of children in flood-affected districts. Hundreds of students, particularly those attending government-run primary and middle schools, have been unable to continue their studies as floodwaters have submerged school buildings and waterlogged the access routes for days. This recurring issue has led to widespread interruptions in schooling.
Rohit Kumar, a sixth standard student at a government middle school in Maujaha, a village within the Kosi river embankments in Supaul district, has not attended classes for over a month. His school is submerged, and the surrounding area is severely waterlogged. His father, a struggling farm labourer, cannot afford private tutoring for his son.
“Kosi’s floods have devastated school education as rising water levels force schools to close every monsoon. Floods not only destroy crops and homes but also submerge schools for weeks, depriving children of their education,” Kumar’s father said.
Other students, such as Ayush Kumar, Ranjan Kumari, Tara Kumar, and several others from schools in Bauraha and Manikpur panchayats in Supaul, are facing similar issues.
Tara’s father, Shivshankar Mandal, voiced concerns about sending children to school, citing overgrown wild grass and the lack of safe drinking water due to polluted hand-pumped wells. “The government needs to ensure education is not disrupted during floods. Temporary arrangements should be made to hold classes elsewhere,” he urged.
Across Bihar, hundreds of children, including Rohit and Tara, are unable to attend school due to flooding. Dozens of schoolchildren in Mirzapur village, Bhagalpur district, have been unable to attend classes similarly. “We want to attend school, but the path is waterlogged and the school is almost 2 kilometres away,” said Sonu Kumar, a fifth standard student.
In Katihar district, floods have forced the closure of at least 27 government-run primary and middle schools across four blocks: Kursela, Amdabad, Manihri and Barari. As a result, the education of 7,480 enrolled students has been disrupted.
“Parents of primary and middle school students are avoiding the risk of sending their children through waterlogged areas. This is a significant issue during the floods,” said Kanhaiya Bhagat, the education officer for Kursela block. “Some schools have been relocated to nearby Aaganwadi centres so that students can continue their studies during the floods.
State education officials reported that nearly 1,700 government-run schools have been affected by the floods this monsoon. As a result, district authorities have closed more than 150 schools in Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Katihar and Supaul.
Many schools have been unusable since early July, when the first wave of floods hit. Over the past two months, more than 4,000 government-run schools have been submerged and access to around 9,000 schools has been severely hampered by waterlogged routes.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the state government has empowered district magistrates to decide on school closures in flood-affected areas under disaster management provisions. “We are aware of the challenges faced by hundreds of schoolchildren due to flooded premises and blocked access routes, hampering kids’ education,” said education department secretary Baidya Nath Yadav.
Yadav added that district officials in flood-hit areas have been directed to arrange boats to transport teachers and students. Following an incident in which a young teacher drowned in Ganga river near Patna while attempting to board a boat to reach school, local authorities have arranged 1,400 boats in affected areas.
Mahendra Yadav, an activist working with flood victims in the Kosi region, noted that most of the children affected belong to poor and marginalised communities. While younger students have stopped attending school altogether during the floods, older students in standards nine to 12 have been using boats or crossing heavily waterlogged roads to reach their schools.
“Hundreds of children living within the Kosi embankments are severely impacted by the annual floods. The floods displace hundreds of families, disrupting education. We have appealed to district and state authorities to address this issue, as education is entirely disrupted during the floods in July and August, and sometimes even in June and September,” said Mahendra, founder of the Koshi Nav Nirman Manch, a local people’s organisation.
The Patna Centre of India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rainfall in southern Bihar on Auugust 27 and 28, 2024, with moderate to heavy rains expected in the northern and eastern districts.
Flooding is a perennial problem in Bihar, affecting thousands annually, particularly in the Ganga, Kosi, Gandak, Bagmati,and Mahananda river basins. According to Centre’s water resources department, Bihar is the most flood-prone state in India, accounting for 17.2 per cent of the country’s flood-prone areas.
Of Bihar’s 9.41 million hectares, around 6.88 million hectares — 76 per cent of north Bihar and 73 per cent of south Bihar — are vulnerable to flooding. Currently, 28 of the state’s 38 districts are classified as flood-prone.
