“Floating school” brings hope to students in flood-affected areas

(Dan Tri) - When flood waters rise, special boat classes still regularly dock, bringing literacy to children in flooded areas in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is one of the countries that regularly suffers from major floods. Every year, millions of people living around rivers face flooded roads, making it impossible for children to get to school.

Yet amidst the vast sea of ​​water, the sound of reading lessons still resounds regularly from the “floating schools” powered by solar energy. Every morning, the “floating schools” silently make their way to each house.

In the "floating schools" there are full blackboards, desks, chairs, bookshelves and lights so that children can continue studying.

Students sit on a boat to study inside a "floating classroom" in Bangladesh. (Photo: Reuters).

This initiative was initiated by architect Mohammed Rezwan in 2002. Initially, only a few small boats were used as classrooms.

There are now more than 100 “floating schools” scattered throughout the flood-affected areas, providing education opportunities to tens of thousands of children. When the water rises, these boats also become safe shelters for local residents.

Not only does the "floating school" model help Bangladeshi students avoid interruption in their studies, it is also being learned and applied by many other countries.

In Cambodia, every flood season, classes on Tonle Sap Lake help children in fishing villages maintain their education.

In the Philippines, following super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013, many NGOs and local architects developed “floating school” models in coastal areas that are frequently flooded.

In Nigeria, boat classes run by an NGO bring knowledge and life skills to children living on the remote Niger River.

In Vietnam, the image of “flood season classes” in Dong Thap, An Giang or Quang Binh (old) has become familiar. Many places also organize online teaching during the rainy season, so that learning is not interrupted.

These models are living proof of the spirit of never-ending learning. Even when natural disasters strike, knowledge continues to spread - from floating classrooms on the rivers of Bangladesh, to online classes during storm season in Central Vietnam. Thanks to that, children's dreams of going to school are still preserved and continue to take flight.

Thu Trang

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/truong-hoc-noi-mang-hy-vong-cho-hoc-sinh-vung-lu-20251009105755917.htm