Is it a boat or a school?

Because of climate change, many schools are affected year after year for different reasons. This is the case of teacher Mohammed Rezwan’s school in Bangladesh, where it’s estimated that at least one fifth of the country gets flooded during the monsoon season. In recent years, flooding has been more intense as a result of climate change. This means that thousands of students miss school and many schools have to close during the rainy season.

To solve this problem, Mohammed Rezwan decided that if the children couldn’t go to school, then the school would have to go the children. That was how the floating school came about!

This boat-school has several functions. First it picks students up on the banks of the rivers, then it moors and classes begin.

As well as being equipped with a classroom, it also has a library and even electronic equipment powered by solar energy. And what do the children learn? Masses of things, like everything to do with their surroundings, water pollution, water conservation and biodiversity.

After several years, this idea has managed to provide classes for around 1,800 children on 22 boat-schools and even set up schools for adults where mothers and fathers receive another sort of education: about the rights of the child and of women, nutrition, health and hygiene, sustainable agriculture and adapting to climate change.