Flooded roads, students in An Giang border area are taken to school by boat

Floods have flooded the roads, nearly 140 students in Phu Huu commune (An Giang) have been mobilized by the government to pick them up and drop them off every day so that their studies are not interrupted.

Going to school for students in Phu Huu commune is difficult due to floodwaters inundating many roads - Photo: BUU DAU

On October 17, Tuoi Tre Online reported that the fields in Phu Huu commune were flooded. Many roads in the WB9 project (project "Integrated Climate Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods in the Mekong Delta" - PV) were also flooded nearly half a meter.

Due to the floodwaters inundating many roads, people have to take their children to school by boat or canoe, while the local authorities organize daily pick-up and drop-off for the rest.

While instructing her grandchild to put on a life jacket when going up the boat, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phan, a resident of Phu Huu commune, An Giang province, said that for nearly 2 weeks now, she has had to "go to school" with her 2 grandchildren. Every day at 5am, she wakes up to take the boat with her 2 grandchildren to school. Last year, the 2 grandchildren rode their bicycles to school by themselves, but now the road is submerged in water.

"Because they are still young, I am not at ease, afraid that the ferry will not be safe for them. If I go with them, it will be easier to handle any storms. Thanks to the local authorities organizing daily pick-up and drop-off, their parents can go to work with peace of mind. Without this ferry, the children's journey to school would be very difficult," Ms. Phan shared.

The entire Phu Huu commune has 6 vehicles to take students to class every day - Photo: BUU DAU

Mr. Huynh Nhat Lam, living in Phu Huu commune, said he has become an involuntary "ferryman" for nearly 2 weeks now.

After hearing the local authorities announce that floodwaters were rising rapidly, inundating many inter-commune roads, causing traffic disruption, he volunteered to use a boat to take the children to school twice a day.

Every day, from 5am he drives his boat to each house of the children in the flooded area to pick them up and take them to school. Each trip he takes about 10-13 children, mainly primary and secondary school students, whose homes are 2-3km away from the school.

"I think I have a profit and my children go to school, so I take them to school, running 4 trips a day. According to my observations, the flood water level in the fields is about 3m. Many roads are flooded so the car cannot go. The local authorities help with some gasoline to take the children to school every day. If we don't take the children to school, their education may be interrupted," said Mr. Lam.

The road invested in by the WB9 project is now flooded and cut off, making it difficult for students to get to school - Photo: BUU DAU

Mr. Tran Thanh Nghi, Chairman of Phu Huu Commune People's Committee, said that the locality arranged 6 vehicles (5 boats and 1 small boat) to pick up and drop off nearly 140 students of 3 levels. The farthest point from home to school is about 3km, and the other is nearly 500m.

Each vehicle has two people to take care of the children during the entire pick-up and drop-off process. Phu Huu Secondary School, Phu Huu A Primary School and Vinh Loc B Primary School have the most students from flooded areas to pick up and drop off.

"In the immediate future, the locality and some donors will organize transportation for the children to school. The initial plan was to do it in 30 days, but recently the floodwaters have continued to rise, so it may take 45 days. In the near future, the locality will ask the province for financial support. The current transportation means are mainly mobilized from donors," said Mr. Nghi.

FIGHTING

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lu-ngap-duong-hoc-sinh-vung-bien-an-giang-duoc-dua-den-truong-bang-vo-lai-20251017164818911.htm