The Educational Status of Students Living in Riverbank Areas: A Narrative Study

Abstract

Easy access to school education, regular learning, and the creation of a safe educational environment are fundamental rights of every child. However, many students living in the riverbank areas of Nepal have been unable to obtain equal access to and participation in quality education due to geographical, social, economic, and environmental challenges. Such challenges have directly and indirectly affected their overall educational condition. The objective of this study is to understand the educational condition of students living in the riverbank areas of Bharatpur Metropolitan City from the perspective of their lived experiences through a Narrative Inquiry approach, and to identify the major factors influencing it. This study is based on Narrative Inquiry under qualitative research. For this study, a total of 15 participants were selected, including nine students and three teachers and three parents from wards within the riverine areas under Bharatpur Metropolitan City. The initial selection of respondents was made through random sampling, and data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with participants who had relevant experiences, according to the purpose of the research. Narrative thematic analysis of the collected data was conducted, and major themes were identified from the participants’ experiences. The study showed that the educational condition of students living in riverbank areas is affected by various factors such as geographical distance, the compulsion to cross rivers and streams, floods during the rainy season, unpaved roads, limited transportation facilities, family economic conditions, and the availability of learning resources. These challenges were found to have a negative impact on students’ regular school attendance, continuity of learning, classroom participation, ability to complete homework, self-confidence, and academic progress. Although students, parents, and teachers held positive attitudes toward education, their educational opportunities were limited due to geographical and infrastructural barriers. The study highlighted the need to improve the educational condition of students living in riverbank areas by ensuring safe access to schools, expanding all-weather roads and school transportation services, implementing context-appropriate alternative learning programs, ensuring the availability of necessary educational resources, and enforcing inclusive and context-specific education policies and programs by the local government. This research provides a narrative documentation of the educational condition of students living in riverbank areas and offers qualitative evidence about their educational experiences, challenges, and possibilities, which is expected to provide a useful basis for local education planning, the promotion of inclusive education, and the effective implementation of sustainable development.

Introduction

The text examines the educational status of students living in riverbank areas of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Nepal, focusing particularly on how geographical, social, economic, and environmental conditions affect their access to and participation in education.

Education is presented as a fundamental means of human development, social transformation, and sustainable economic development. Although the UN’s SDG 4, Nepal’s Constitution, the Compulsory and Free Education Act, and the School Education Sector Plan emphasize free, inclusive, equitable, and quality education, significant inequalities remain. Children living in geographically difficult areas—especially near rivers and flood-prone settlements—may have to cross rivers, streams, rough roads, and other hazardous routes to reach school. These difficulties can affect attendance, learning continuity, participation, psychological well-being, and academic achievement.

The literature reviewed indicates that educational access is more than simply enrolling in school. It includes regular attendance, participation, continuity of learning, educational progress, and achievement. Studies by Lewin, Hanushek, Bronfenbrenner, UNESCO, the World Bank, and others demonstrate that school distance, transportation, teacher quality, family background, school resources, infrastructure, and environmental conditions all influence educational outcomes. Nepali studies similarly show that geographical distance, parents’ educational and economic status, infrastructure, and access to schools influence attendance and achievement.

The study identifies an important research gap: although considerable research exists on enrollment, dropout, educational achievement, and school access, most studies use quantitative or mixed-method approaches. There is very limited qualitative research examining the lived experiences of students, teachers, and parents in riverbank communities, particularly in Bharatpur Metropolitan City. Therefore, the study uses Narrative Inquiry to understand these experiences in depth.

Objectives of the Study

The study aims to:

• Understand the current educational status of students living in riverbank areas.
• Identify the geographical, social, economic, and environmental factors affecting their education.
• Examine how school access, regular attendance, and participation in learning influence educational experiences.
• Explore the perspectives and lived experiences of students, teachers, and parents.
• Develop practical and policy recommendations to improve educational quality and equity for children in riverbank areas.

Research Questions

The study asks:

1. What is the current educational status of students living in riverbank areas?
2. What geographical, social, economic, and environmental factors influence their educational status?
3. How do school access, attendance, and learning participation shape their educational experiences?
4. What practical and policy measures can improve their educational quality?

Theoretical Framework

The study is mainly guided by three theories:

• Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979): Students’ education is influenced by interconnected environments such as family, school, community, infrastructure, government, social values, and changes over time.
• Education Production Function Theory (Hanushek, 1986): Educational outcomes depend on multiple inputs, including student ability, teacher quality, school resources, family background, study time, attendance, and access to education.
• Theory of Educational Access (Lewin, 2007): Educational access involves not only enrollment but also regular attendance, active participation, continuity, progress, and completion.

Conclusion

This study concludes that the educational condition of students living in riverbank areas is influenced by multidimensional geographical, social, economic, and environmental factors. Through narrative inquiry, an analysis of the lived experiences of students, teachers, and parents revealed that difficult access to schools, the compulsion to cross streams during floods, seasonal inundation, the risk of wild animals, weak road networks, riverbank settlement, economic hardship, and limited educational resources have adversely affected students’ regular school attendance, continuity of learning, classroom participation, self-confidence, and overall educational condition. The study confirmed that students’ educational condition is not limited only to individual ability or school management, but is closely related to the social and geographical context in which they live. Similarly, the study showed that although parents, teachers, and the community hold positive attitudes toward education, their efforts have not been as effective as expected due to structural and infrastructural limitations. This study concludes that safe access to school, all-weather roads, school transportation services, alternative learning programs, parental awareness, and context-specific educational interventions by local government can play an important role in improving the educational condition of students living in riverbank areas. By documenting the lived experiences of students living in riverbank areas, this research provides qualitative evidence about the relationship between educational condition and school access. In addition, its findings are expected to provide a useful basis for local education planning, the promotion of inclusive education, and efforts to ensure equitable and quality education for all under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Binod Kumar Adhikari. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.