Loktak, Feb. 5: A floating elementary school for children of floating villages particularly for the dropouts, probably the first of its kind in India was formally inaugurated while observing the World’s Wetlands Day at a floating village in Loktak, largest freshwater lake in eastern India on Thursday.
The floating school had already started functioning with more than two dozen students since December last year at the floating village- Champu Khangpok on the northern side of lake, located about 1 hour drive from Imphal.
The school named as Loktak Elementary Floating School was opened under an initiative of All Loktak Lake Fishermen’s Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) with the support of Bishnupur-based NGO - People’s Resources Development Association (PRDA) under a programme of ActionAid India.
“The idea to establish such a school was floated considering the sudden high dropout rates of the children living in the floating villages,” says Secretary Oinam Rajen of ALLAFUM. “Now with the establishment of this school it will help in catering the formal education to the children in Champu Khangpok floating village.”
Loktak Development Authority had removed more than 700 floating huts as part of clearing the lake after the introduction of Loktak Lake (Protection) Act 2006, about five years go, resulting in largescale displacement of the fishing community.
Subsequently, children of these fishing communities of Langolsabi and Komjao -two main floating localities under Champu Khangpok floating village having about 204 families and a population of 460 fishermen, were forced to discontinue their education as they are unable to support the financial burden for school education.
The newly inaugurated school in the floating village lies under Thanga assembly constituency in Manipur’s Bishnupur district. It is currently providing education to around 40 children (Class I-III) by engaging two local teachers.
“We are also looking for necessary help from the concerned government department to address the school education issues of our children in the lake,” says a fisherman Kh Sangoijao (52) of Langolsabi Leikai, who used to earn not less than Rs 150 a day in the off season and upto Rs 1000 in fishing season.
The day’s formal school inauguration function was attended by Director Meghachandra Kongbam of the State Information and Public Relations, IUCN’s Fish specialist Prof Waikhom Vishwanath,Zonal Education Officer of Bishnupur district, PRDA and ALLAFUM functionaries, environmentalists, educationists, NGO activists and villagers.
