More than five hundred educational institutions are closed in Sylhet due to floods. Most schools are being used as shelters. Some are still submerged in water. Even though primary and secondary schools open after Eid, teaching is closed.
According to the school officials, to reduce the shortage of learning, Eid and summer vacations were shortened and teaching started in the country’s secondary schools from June 26 instead of July 2. However, many secondary schools in Sylhet did not start teaching after Eid. Even though primary schools opened from July 3, there was no teaching.
Heavy rains and runoff from upstream caused the first flood situation in Sylhet on May 29. The situation became more normal after June 8. The second blow of the flood came on June 16. Two upazilas bordering Sylhet fell under the influence of floods. Floods are gradually seen in 13 upazilas of the district including various areas of the city. On June 19, heavy rains and landslides caused flooding in those upazilas. However, the flood situation started to improve a lot from June 25, but it deteriorated again from last Monday.
According to the District Primary and Secondary Education Office, teaching has been suspended in 398 primary schools in the district due to floods. 78 secondary schools are closed. Besides, teaching has been stopped in some colleges due to rising water.
According to the district primary education office, teaching has been stopped in 398 out of 1,477 primary schools in the district. Among them, there are 37 schools in Sylhet Sadar Upazila, two in Biswanath, 55 in Balaganj, 32 in Fenchuganj, 27 in Golapganj, 54 in Biyanibazar, 23 in Jakiganj, four in Kanighat, three in Jaintapur, two in Goainghat, 65 in Companyganj, 22 in Dakshin Surma and 72 in Osmaninagar. Besides, the district education officer’s office said that teaching has been stopped in 78 secondary schools in the district.
District Primary Education Officer Sakhawat Ershed told Vanik Barta, ‘Out of 398 primary schools, 167 are being used as shelters. And the rest are submerged in water. The number of closed educational institutions in the areas along the Kushiara River is increasing. The water in that area is sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing. As the schools are being used as shelters, Banvasi people are taking shelter there.’
District Education Officer Abu Said. Abdul Wadud said, ‘Due to the flood, teaching has been stopped in 78 secondary schools in the district. Most of these schools are in Osmaninagar, Balaganj and Fenchuganj upazilas. Flood water is not receding in these areas of Kushiara basin. Water has entered Jokiganj after breaking the dike. New areas are flooded. It also reduced the possibility of opening educational institutions. Due to long suspension of teaching, students are suffering a lot. If the water decreases, we will try to compensate this loss through additional classes.’
According to Sylhet district administration, the number of shelters has increased in the last 24 hours. There are 9 thousand 493 people in 208 shelters. Last Friday this number was 9 thousand 329 people. Out of the 13 upazilas of Sylhet, there are no people in shelters only in Sadar Upazila, Jaintapur and Companyganj.
Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Russell Hasan told Merchant Barta, ‘Sylhet’s flood situation is getting longer. It will take some time to become suitable for school teaching. Because schools are being used as shelters. Relief operations are continuing in the shelters. I hope the situation will gradually return to normal.’