The boat of hope sails away
A project, a promise of education, a chance to break free from the shackles of illiteracy.
Four years flew by, children of the Manta community dared to dream. Then on a chilly winter morning, it all came to an end, rather abruptly.
The children woke up that day and witnessed the boat, which had arrived at the riverbank with promise of education, departing the area, leaving them in tears.
WHO ARE THE MANTAS?
Mantas are a small nomadic community who live in boats on the rivers and earn a livelihood by catching fish while travelling between shoals and islands and the coastal areas of Patuakhali district.
They never settle down on the mainland. If some dies within the community, the body is either floated in river water, or buried by the river banks if locals do not object to it.
Children within the community also become involved in fishing following their parents from an early age. With access to education being a far cry, the entire community is largely illiterate.
There are around 300 children in the community. Many of them received pre-primary education in the floating school, and some went on to join primary schools in close proximity to the river.
THE FLOATING SCHOOL
Jago Nari, a local non-government organisation, took a four-year project -- Education for Inclusion of Manta Community (EIMC) -- in 2019 to provide pre-primary education to 50 children from Manta community yearly in Char Montaz under Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali.
A floating school was set up in a one-storey launch -- 75 feet by 18 feet in size -- at a cost of Tk 20 lakh. It remained anchored on the bank of Bura Gouranga river in the upazila where the children of Manta community would come and attend classes, while also being provided books, stationeries, and lifejackets.
The total cost of the project was Tk 60 lakh, funded by a charity, said Fazlul Karim, the project's coordinator.
The boat included computers and televisions, run by solar power and an in-built generator. There were two teachers appointed to run the school from 10:00am to 5:00pm daily, he added.
Then the project expired in December 2023. Now the children feel their only shot at getting education has been lost.
"There are around 300 children in the community. Many of them received pre-primary education in the floating school, and some went on to join primary schools in close proximity to the river," said Ayub Khan, one of the two teachers.
After the floating school project ended, the children's education has been in limbo, he added.
WHAT THE CHILDREN SAY
At least 50 students of the school, including Razia, Mim, Chakhina, Sayem, Shahida, Deen Islam, Rahman, Khukumani, Shefali, Morzina, Amena, were left in tears when the school left the bank of Bura Gouranga river after it was closed.
"We never got the light education. Thanks to the floating school, we got some opportunities to learn. But now that the school has left, that opportunity is lost," said Razia, a student. Her peers echoed her.
Lipi Begum, a parent, said, "We want education opportunities for our children."
THERE'S HOPE
Duke Ibn Amin, director (communications) of Jago Nari, said, "We have plans for alternative measures for the children of the school."
Md Bayezid, Rangabali upazila education officer, said, "The district education committee took a decision two months back to build a public primary school in ghat area of Char Montaz for children from Manta community. The decision has been sent to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education for approval."
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