Dhaka: In the low-lying plains of Bangladesh, where rising waters routinely swallow roads and homes, classrooms have found an unusual but effective refuge boats. Across the flood-prone Chalan Beel region, solar-powered floating schools are ensuring that education continues even when the land disappears beneath floodwaters.

Run by the non-profit organization Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha (SSS), these “schools on boats” navigate submerged villages daily, picking up children from riverside homes and conducting classes on board. The initiative, launched in 2002 by architect Mohammed Rezwan, began as a small project but has since grown into a network of more than 100 boats serving as classrooms, libraries, and even health clinics.

Currently, 26 of these boats provide formal education to over 2,200 pupils, while more than 22,500 children have already graduated through this system. Built from local timber and powered by solar panels, each floating school is equipped with benches, bookshelves, and blackboards, creating a complete mobile learning environment.

The floating classrooms operate year-round, unaffected by monsoon floods that often force conventional schools to close. In addition to teaching Bengali, mathematics, and general knowledge, the boats also serve as community hubs offering literacy training for adults, health services, and awareness programs on climate adaptation.

Bangladesh’s geography makes it one of the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world. Seasonal floods affect millions annually, damaging crops, displacing families, and disrupting education. The floating school model provides a lifeline for children who might otherwise lose access to learning for months at a time.

“Education must not stop because of floods,” said Rezwan in a past interview, emphasizing that the boats represent both innovation and resilience in the face of climate change.

The success of the project has inspired similar initiatives in countries such as Cambodia, Nigeria, and the Philippines, where rising waters increasingly threaten traditional schooling.

Experts see the floating schools as a scalable, eco-friendly solution for regions where climate change has turned the landscape into an unpredictable sea. As the monsoon season grows longer and more intense, these boats continue to carry not only students but also the hopes of an entire generation determined to stay afloat amid adversity.