Gorakhpur News: Although the water of Rapti and Rohin in Gorakhpur is receding, there are still many villages which are in the grip of floods. Due to floods in the village, even children are not able to go to school. At the same time, there are many villages situated on the dam which are safe from floods, but due to the schools being submerged in flood water, the spark of education is being awakened in the shade of trees in the villages situated on the other side of the dam. However, the teachers and the children studying here are also hopeful that they will be able to start their studies in school again after the flood water recedes.
Kathaur village of Khorabar block of Gorakhpur has now become a part of the city. However, when floods come here, the entire area submerges. More than 200 children study in the Composite School Kathaur. Apart from the Principal Asha Tripathi, 15 teachers are spreading the light of education here. The new session of the school had just started in the month of July when the floods came. Many nearby villages were hit by the floods. The Basic Education Department has asked the Principals of flood-affected schools to make alternative arrangements keeping in view the safety of children, teachers and documents.
Education being affected by flood water
Composite school Kathaur is closed for a week due to flood water. Keeping in mind the safety of the children, the school situated on the west of Malouli dam has been locked. Water is also filled inside the school. Due to deep water around, alternative arrangements for the school have been made in the village on the dam and its east end. Two rooms have been rented to keep the documents safe. The children are being made to walk sometimes on the dam of the village and sometimes under the shade of a tree.
Principal of Composite School Kathaur, Asha Tripathi, says that it has been a week since the floods came. Children from class 1 to 8 study in this school. She says that 261 children are educated here. Before the floods, 70 to 80 percent children used to come to study. Now this number has come down to 20 to 30 percent. There are a total of 15 teachers here including Shiksha Mitra. She says that children living around the dam are coming to study. There is a problem. Here, the facilities of school and class are not available in this scorching heat. When the atmosphere of studies started, the flood came. At present, the number has gone up to around 50.
Children studying here, Veera, Ansh, Deepti, Pallavi, Sukanya, Ankita tell that due to waterlogging in the school, they are studying here under the shade of trees. Although the children are enjoying studying here, but the children studying under the shade of trees are hopeful that the flood water will recede and their classes will be able to start again. A letter has also been issued by the Basic Education Officer to provide education to children at a safe place in the flood-affected village. The letter issued after the government’s order has been sent to all the schools. In such a situation, alternative arrangements have been made in the schools which are affected by the flood. So that along with education, the lives of the children also remain safe.