Floods trigger migration of pupils to safer places

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, August 1

“We are fed up with the floods damaging schools and forcing our children to lag behind in education. Nothing is left as we lost everything. We will now move our students to some safe place,” said Praveen Kaur, a parent.

A few instances of parents taking their children out of flood-hit schools in Lohian have begun to come to the fore. They no longer want their wards to study in schools where a deluge can wreak havoc anytime. After losing everything, people may start migrating to safer places soon.

Some teachers have expressed worry that the strength in their schools could decrease as they had experienced the same after the 2019 floods too.

A government school teacher, requesting anonymity, said two students had already left the school in recent days.

Another government school teacher said in the 2019 floods, several students took admission to other schools. “However, some were called back as we convinced them and there were no floods for four years. But this time again, there are high chances that students may leave,” he shared.

Raj Pal, a parent, had sent his son to Ferozepur district to his relative’s place so that he could remain safe. His son is now attending classes there. Now, Raj Pal also wants to move to Ferozepur as he has been living by the roadside now.

“I will either go there or to a relatively safer place in Lohian. I want my child to study there only because it is so unsafe here,” he said.

Gurmej Singh, a farm labourer whose two children study in a government school, said if he finds a place where he gets a job, he would definitely take his children there. “The school is shut for a long time. If I get a chance, I will leave,” he said.

Residents from Dhakka Basti village are also not willing to go back. They want to move out as theirs was the worst-hit village where they lost all their dwellings.

‘It is so unsafe here’

I sent my son to Ferozepur district to my relative’s place so that he can remain safe. He is now attending classes there. Now, I also want to move to Ferozepur as I have been living by the roadside now. I will either go there or to a relatively safer place in Lohian. I want my child to study there only because it is so unsafe here. — Raj Pal, A parent