"Bus" carrying the dreams of students of Dat Mui

Many students in Dat Mui commune have to travel to school by small boat.

From 4:30 a.m., Mr. Nguyen Van Teo, residing in Xeo Doi hamlet, Dat Mui commune, Ca Mau province, prepares to take his two children, Nguyen Trieu Linh (5th grade) and Nguyen Trung Hieu (6th grade), to school. Their house is about 8km from the school, and because there is no paved road, their small boat is their only means of transportation. Each day, Mr. Teo spends approximately 140,000 VND on fuel and over 100,000 VND on breakfast and lunch for his two children. Therefore, he takes advantage of the opportunity to pick up four additional students from acquaintances' families, charging 30,000 VND per day each to help offset some of the fuel costs.

Understanding his father's difficulties, Trung Hieu always takes charge of helping to pick up other students. Mr. Teo said: "After dropping my children off at school in the morning, I go home to take care of household chores. The children are left at a friend's house to eat, rest during lunchtime, and continue studying in the afternoon. Although it's hard work, I always hope my children will have a bright future."

In front of Dat Mui 1 Primary School, there is a temporary ferry dock. Many small boats come and go here to transport students to school every morning. It's manageable on sunny days, but during rainy and windy weather, the dangers of the river are ever-present. Like many other parents, concerned about their children's safety, Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen Huu Sang personally take their children to school. He shared: “Our house is about 6km from the school. On weekdays, I have to go to work, so I let my wife drive the boat to take the children to and from school. My wife and I would rather endure hardship than let our children drop out of school.”

Dat Mui commune has 7 schools with over 3,300 students, about 600 of whom have to cross the river in small boats to get to school. Dat Mui Primary School No. 1 alone has over 870 students, with about 100 having to travel by ferry. Mr. Doan Van Tiep, Principal of Dat Mui Primary School No. 1, said: “Here, people mainly live along canals and waterways, and some areas lack roads, so the children have to travel by ferry. Despite the difficult economic conditions of some families, parents still persevere in bringing their children to school. This is a great sacrifice made by parents so their children can access knowledge.”

Mr. Tang Thien Tinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dat Mui Commune, said: "Although there has been investment in transportation infrastructure, there is still a lack of bridges to connect the routes, and rural roads have not yet been invested in. In the future, we hope that the higher authorities will pay attention and invest to make travel easier for students and people, and facilitate trade. The commune also plans to pilot a program for schools to organize boarding for students to help reduce the burden on families."

Text and photos: HIEU NGHIA

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/-xe-buyt-cho-uoc-mo-cua-hoc-sinh-dat-mui-a192780.html