Guwahati: Students in several flood-affected parts of Assam are set to return to classrooms from August 10 as the state Education Department works to restore schools damaged by the recent floods.
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said district authorities have been instructed to restart academic activities at schools that have been cleaned and made safe for students and teachers. Institutions that are still affected by flood damage will follow alternative arrangements until regular classes can resume.
Floodwaters have left silt and other debris across several school campuses, making cleaning and restoration a key priority. According to the Education Department, substantial progress has already been made at a number of affected institutions, while repair and cleaning operations are continuing at others.
Sivasagar Among Worst-Affected Districts
Sivasagar is among the districts reporting significant damage to educational infrastructure. Of the 1,250 schools in the district, 545 have reportedly been affected by the floods.
According to Minister Pegu, several of these institutions have already reached a condition where classes can restart. District education officials have therefore been asked to assess individual schools and resume teaching from August 10 wherever the campuses are ready.
The government is also looking at ways to prevent prolonged disruption to students whose schools cannot immediately reopen.
Alternative Classes Planned for Unfit Schools
Schools that remain unusable because of silt accumulation, structural damage or other flood-related problems will be allowed to adopt alternative teaching arrangements.
The Education Department plans to use flexible methods similar to those introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing students to continue their studies while restoration work is underway.
Officials have been asked to prioritise the resumption of classroom teaching wherever conditions are safe, while ensuring that students in severely affected areas are not left without access to education.
The reopening drive comes as Assam continues its efforts to restore essential public services and infrastructure following the floods. The Education Department is expected to continue monitoring the condition of affected schools before allowing regular classes to resume.
