>> Students forced to travel to school by boat

Over 200 students in central Ha Tinh province have had to brave a dangerous river, or travel ferry, to school for years due to the lack of funding for a bridge.

A rocky way to school

The students live in Ky Anh district’s Ky Thuong commune, about 400 households, which is dissected by the 100-metre long Rao Tro River.

In order to arrive at school on time, students have to wake up very early to catch board the boat.

In cases of heavy rains and floods, hamlets such as Bac Tien, Phuc Thanh and Tan Tien, in the commune are often isolated by water, keeping many children from studying.

In dry season, many parents even have had to carry their children on their backs across the river.

Nguyen Van Hung, a parent said, “I feel unsafe whenever carrying my children across the river to school. Despite of the hardship, we try to help our children get education with a hope for a better life.”

Le Thi Linh, at grade 9th, said, “I’ve become really scared since the day I saw people trying to save a drowning child. Crossing the river to school is so hard for me.”

Locals said that many people have died while crossing the river, including four in 2009 and two in 2008.

Concerning this issue, Nguyen Trung Tinh, chairman of Ky Thuong communal People’s Committee said for years, locals have had to wade across the river or travel by boats. It becomes more dangerous when the river gets wider and deeper due to landslides.

“It is impossible for Ky Thuong, a poor commune, to find the money for a bridge. We have no other choice but to cross the river daily,” Tinh commented.

In order to ensure the safety for students, communal officials have recently arranged communal houses as classes for 46 students from grades 1 to 2. The move has helped reduce the number of absences, he noted.

After proposals, some working teams had conducted studies to build a bridge crossing the river, he said, adding that no more moves have been taken since then.

A local student named Trang shared, “I wish a bridge would be built across the river to facilitate our education and prevent possible drowning.”

Carrying a bicycle across the river

Wading is the only way to school

Overloaded and dangerous

Obstacle to education

River bank eroding

A wide river