Surat Floods Damage Over 1 Lakh Textbooks, Thousands Of Students To Receive Free Study Materials
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Flooding in Surat over the past 25 days has severely disrupted the education of thousands of schoolchildren, with more than one lakh textbooks reportedly damaged after floodwaters inundated homes in the city’s Mithikhadi area. In response, the Surat Municipal Corporation’s Nagar Prathmik Shikshan Samiti has sought fresh textbooks from the Gujarat government and announced free educational materials for affected students.
Officials estimate that around 7,000 to 8,000 students have been impacted by the flooding, which damaged textbooks, uniforms, shoes, socks and stationery kits.
Schools seek replacement of damaged textbooks
Three municipal schools in the Mithikhadi area have written to the Nagar Prathmik Shikshan Samiti, requesting replacement of educational materials for students whose belongings were destroyed in the floods.
As water levels rose to seven to eight feet in several residential areas, thousands of families lost household items along with children’s school supplies.
Following the floods, teachers and school representatives visited affected neighbourhoods and found many parents trying to dry waterlogged textbooks in the sun.
Over 1 lakh textbooks requested
Rajendra Kapadia, Chairman of the Nagar Prathmik Shikshan Samiti, said the committee sent a letter to the state government on August 1 seeking the supply of 1,01,200 textbooks after receiving details of the affected students.
He said the new textbooks are expected to arrive within the next two to three days, allowing students to resume their studies without further delay.
Free uniforms and stationery to be distributed
Kapadia said details of flood-affected students, along with records of newly admitted students, will be submitted to the state government.
Based on the data, students affected by the floods will receive free uniforms, shoes, socks and stationery kits next month.
According to preliminary estimates, between 7,000 and 8,000 students will benefit from the assistance.
Education hit by prolonged flooding
The prolonged flooding has affected not only homes and livelihoods but also the education of thousands of children across the affected areas.
Authorities hope the prompt distribution of replacement textbooks and other essential school materials will help students return to classrooms and continue their studies with minimal disruption.
