Water, schools, and safety: Bihar’s fight against floods and erosion

Bihar, one of India’s most flood-prone states, faces an uphill battle in keeping its schools safe amid recurring water-related disasters. Every year, floods affect over 76 million people, damaging infrastructure, displacing families, and interrupting education. Riverbank erosion further compounds the crisis, slowly swallowing villages and the schools within them.

The impact of floods on schools

Flooding in Bihar disrupts education every monsoon season, forcing students out of classrooms and sometimes even destroying school buildings. In Mohanpur (Samastipur), the Utkramit Madhyamik School is submerged almost every year. Students and teachers often wade through knee-deep water or relocate to temporary shelters to continue their lessons.

In Samastipur’s Bela Panchruki, which lies near the Burhi Gandak River, schools conduct early flood preparedness activities. With support from the MSSP, teachers and students engage in hazard hunts, identifying vulnerabilities and developing contingency plans.

At Utkramit Middle School in Saharsa, students have developed a ‘Flood Survival Kit’ as part of their disaster preparedness training. “We pack dry food, water bottles, ropes, and first-aid kits in waterproof bags and keep them ready before the monsoon,” says Ankit Jha, a Class 9 student.

Riverbed erosion and the displacement of schools

While floods make headlines, riverbank erosion silently devours land and livelihoods. In Mohanpur, entire schools have been displaced as shifting river courses consumed their grounds. Teachers like Subhit Kumar and Rituraj Jaiswal, both master trainers with the MSSP, have helped other educators prepare for such crises.

“The UMS at Bela Panchruki is just meters from the Burhi Gandak. Every year, we move classrooms, shift materials, and rebuild. It’s exhausting, but our drills keep children safe and learning,” says Rituraj.

In the worst-affected areas, schools have been relocated to higher ground or built on elevated platforms where students can take refuge during emergencies.

Schools as community resilience centers

Many schools in Bihar, including those in Nalanda and Samastipur, are emerging as resilience centers, educating not just students but the entire community on flood safety. At Utkramit Madhyamik School in Pokharpur, Nalanda, students participate in the Bal Sansad (Child Cabinet) and Meena Manch, which empower them to take proactive roles in disaster preparedness. Through these initiatives, students learn early warning signals, evacuation techniques, and water safety skills, ensuring they are equipped to handle disasters.

A significant aspect of school safety is the Safe Saturday initiative, where weekly drills and awareness sessions are conducted to reinforce disaster response strategies. Schools integrate flood and erosion education into their curriculum, teaching children how to swim, use life-saving equipment, and respond effectively in emergencies.

At Shanti Niketan School in Muzaffarpur, students conduct street plays to educate villagers on flood preparedness. “Through plays, we show how families can prepare emergency kits and make safe evacuation plans,” says Ramesh, a Class 8 student.

Infrastructure interventions for safer schools

Several interventions have been introduced to mitigate water-related risks in schools. In flood-prone areas, schools are constructing raised platforms where students can take refuge when water levels rise. Additionally, soak pits and water recharge chambers are being built to prevent waterlogging and manage drainage more effectively.

At Madhya Vidyalaya Rahimbigha in Nalanda, school authorities led a hazard hunt to identify key risks. They noted that a large open drain behind the school posed a significant threat during monsoon season. To address this, efforts were made to cover or redirect the drain, preventing accidental falls and waterborne diseases among students. “The hazard hunt was an eye-opener. We never realized how dangerous the open drain was until we mapped the risks,” said Poonam Kumar, the school’s headmistress.

In another instance, at Utkramit Madhyamik School in Mohanpur, a high-voltage transformer stood dangerously close to classrooms. “We repeatedly raised concerns with authorities, but nothing was done until an explosion nearly harmed students,” recalls Rituraj Jaiswal. The incident prompted renewed calls for safety interventions, showcasing the crucial role of persistent community advocacy in protecting school environments.

Community collaboration: The key to long-term safety

School Management Committees (SMCs) and local panchayats play a crucial role in school safety initiatives. At Sujata Academy in Gaya, the school collaborates with parents and village leaders to reinforce embankments and improve drainage systems. In Samastipur’s affected schools, parents and teachers work together to construct temporary safety measures, such as sandbag barriers and raised pathways.

Additionally, digital tools like the e-Shiksha Kosh app are being used to track and report school safety activities. This platform enables real-time documentation of safety drills, infrastructure status, and emergency preparedness measures, helping authorities ensure that schools remain equipped to handle water-related disasters. In Nalanda’s Utkramit Madhyamik Vidyalaya, headmaster Alok Kumar championed a student-led safety initiative.

This proactive approach has led to timely interventions, reducing the school’s flood-related disruptions.

In Darbhanga, the SMC organized a community fundraising drive to install a rainwater harvesting system. “We couldn’t wait for government funds, so we all contributed and built the system ourselves,” says Suresh Yadav, an SMC member.

Bihar’s school safety program is not just about protecting infrastructure; it is about empowering communities, fostering resilience, and ensuring that children continue to learn despite the challenges posed by floods and erosion. 

When learning becomes resilience

Bihar’s schools stand at the frontline of two battles one against nature’s fury, and another against the quiet erosion of opportunity. Every monsoon, the waters test not just walls and embankments, but the courage and continuity of education itself.

Yet, across these flooded plains, there is a quiet transformation taking place. Classrooms double as shelters; teachers become first responders; children become messengers of safety for their villages. What might look like survival is, in truth, an act of collective learning, a lesson in how knowledge, when rooted in care, can help communities endure.

In the end, the story of Bihar’s flood-resilient schools is not about what was lost to water, but what was gained through it like awareness, solidarity, and the unshakable belief that even amid uncertainty, education must continue to flow.