Barak River Swallows School in Lakhipur: Future of 115 Students Stuck in Limbo

The future of 115 students is in jeopardy as the relentless erosion by the Barak River threatens to engulf the East Gobindapur M.E. School, located in the Lakhipur area of Cachar district. With 90% of the school already submerged, concerns over the safety and education of the students have escalated.

For the past five to six years, the school has been grappling with the effects of the river’s encroachment. However, despite repeated warnings and appeals, the education department has failed to take any concrete action to protect the school. The situation reached a critical point on Saturday morning when most of the school was swallowed by the river, forcing teachers and students to salvage whatever they could, including important documents, furniture, and other valuables.

In response to the emergency, the school’s headteacher, Kutub Uddin Laskar, took immediate steps to relocate the students to a safer location to avoid any untoward incidents. The lack of action from the authorities has sparked outrage among the local community, who have long been demanding that the school be relocated and a new building constructed.

A representative from the school expressed frustration over the authorities’ inaction, stating that although the school had been in crisis for many years, the situation had deteriorated significantly since the 2022 floods. “One of the school buildings was lost to the river during the flood, triggering a domino effect that has gradually claimed more of the school,” they said.

The representative further explained that while a temporary shed had been erected to continue classes, this was no longer a feasible solution as the shed was also damaged. Plans are now underway to construct another temporary structure, but this is only a stopgap measure until a permanent solution can be found.

Adding to the concerns, it was revealed that a local resident, Azim Uddin Choudhury, had donated land for a new school building nearly a year and a half ago. However, despite assurances from the education department, no funds have been allocated to construct the new building, leaving the school’s future in limbo.

“This is one of the oldest schools in the locality, and it once had a much larger student count. But the ongoing crisis has caused the number of students to decline rapidly,” said another school representative. The school, which currently serves students up to Class 8, has been left in a difficult position as the river continues to erode what little remains of the campus.

The local administration has been kept informed about the dire situation, but the school community’s repeated requests for assistance have gone unanswered. As the river threatens to claim the rest of the school, the fate of 115 students remains uncertain.

The local community is now urging the authorities to act swiftly, demanding that the promised new building be constructed without further delay. They fear that any more hesitation could result in the complete disappearance of the school, leaving the students with nowhere to pursue their education.