Floating School’s Fight for Survival: Manipur’s Unique Learning Oasis in Peril
Manipur’s iconic Loktak Lake, famed for its phumdis (floating islands), hosts a unique elementary school serving a remote fishing community. Eight years after its inception, this floating classroom faces an uncertain future.
Challenges are mounting. A lack of basic infrastructure, coupled with a concerning rise in student dropouts, threatens its very existence. The recent ethnic violence further exacerbated the situation, disrupting education and impacting the already vulnerable community.
The school, a beacon of hope for children in this isolated area, desperately needs government recognition. This would unlock crucial support for improved facilities, including better classrooms and sanitation, and competitive teacher salaries to retain qualified educators.
Without urgent intervention, this pioneering educational initiative risks closure, leaving scores of children with limited access to education. The government’s response will be a crucial test of its commitment to inclusive education and the preservation of Manipur’s unique cultural heritage. The fate of this floating school reflects a larger issue of equitable access to quality education in remote and marginalized communities across the nation.
