Patna: Nearly 20 days on, floods have disrupted studies of 3,73,690 students across 1,446 schools in 15 districts of Bihar, according to data provided by the education department on Tuesday. Bhojpur reported the highest number of affected schools at 371, followed by Bhagalpur (195), Samastipur (177), Vaishali (145), Begusarai (144) and Katihar (139).Vaishali has the highest number of affected students at 55,406, followed by Bhagalpur (55,294), Samastipur (51,125), Begusarai (45,332) and Katihar (40,362).In Patna, schools in flood-hit diara areas have been shut or submerged, forcing authorities to shift classes to safer locations. Schools in submerged areas have been tagged with schools in safer areas, where teachers and students are continuing their studies. Teachers from Diara schools have also been asked to teach children at relief camps.Santosh Kumar, a teacher at the now-submerged Purani Panapur school, is teaching at Sipahi Bhagat School in Danapur. He said the arrangement was similar last year and teachers would return once the water receded.“The Purani Panapur school will be full of mud and dirt. We will have to hire manual workers to clean and sanitise the entire premises,” he said. Getting students back after the flood was another challenge. “We have to personally approach parents and ask them to send their children back. The return rate among students of classes 6 to 8 is particularly difficult. It takes at least another 10 to 15 days to restore attendance,” he said.Patna district education officer (DEO) Yogesh Kumar said around 78 schools in Danapur, Athmalgola, parts of Bakhtiyarpur, Maner and Patna Sadar had been shut. Around 200 students are studying in seven school relief camps. Many had to share books after leaving their school bags behind during evacuation, he said.With half-yearly exams scheduled from Sept 17, authorities are considering holding examinations at camps for students who can attend. Those unable to appear may be allowed to take them later.In Vaishali, Raghopur remains completely inundated. Vaishali DEO Ravindra Kumar said parents were reluctant to send children far away. Teachers have instead been deployed in shifts near the Ganga bridge to engage children.Meanwhile, Integrated Child Development Services has set up six pre-school education camps-cum-temporary Anganwadi centres in Patna for 117 children. Classes are held from 8am to noon under the Nayi Pahal curriculum with 21 anganwadi workers and helpers deployed on a rotational basis.
