School Designed In Floating Style To Ease Education For Manipuri Fishing Community Drop Outs

Education for below poverty line fishing community’s children is a tough dream which sadistically has resulted with increase dropouts, the Manipur government on a strategic plan has innovated floating school in the same arena to minimize their loss in trade.

Floating school concept for Manipur is not unfamiliar as it may seem to others, the Loktak Development Authority who in the protection of Loktak Lake (Protection) Act 2006 had to displace 700 plus huts, resulting increasing dropouts from this community.

But now again to revive the dream of the children All Loktak Lake Fishermen’s Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) with the support of Bishnupur-based NGO – People’s Resources Development Association (PRDA) prepared to function education in this fishermen community.

Loktak Elementary Floating School was launched by the joint effort of the organization to help shape children’s future under ActionAid India scheme.

Presently under Champu Khangpok floating village the two important floating localities like Langolsabi and Komjao were barred from education due to financial constrain but now again hopes are ignited installing a school with 40 children capacity with session of Class I to III including two local teachers.

To grace the inaugural function of the school opening for community’s development the IUCN’s Fish specialist Prof Waikhom Vishwanath, Zonal Education Officer of Bishnupur district, Director Meghachandra Kongbam of the State Information and Public Relations, educationists and NGO activists were present.