Today, Mr. Vo Hoang Lam, Head of the Department of Education and Training of An Giang Province’s An Phu District, said that about a week ago, the education sector’s proposal of taking and picking up children to and from schools for their safety was supported by the District Party Committee and the local People's Committee that assigned local authorities in flood-stricken communes to undertake the task.
According to the list of local administrations in communes, 140 students in all grades presently need to be transported to schools every day. Families who can afford transportation fees have donated money for fuel for the transportation of their children who have to wear lifejackets in boats.
Mr. Nguyen Tong Huu Tri, Deputy Head of the Military Command of Vinh Hoi Dong Commune, said that in the previous years, soldiers in the command took and picked up students to schools in flooding season by boats for a distance of 4 km.
Mr. Tri said that this year the water rose high, and children’s parents went to the fields to earn extra income from catching fish and shrimp; thus, taking and picking up students to schools is a way to help parents practically.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Chi, a parent of four grade Nguyen Thi Tham of Vinh Hoi Dong Primary School, said that every day, she and her husband rushed to the field to remove the fishing nets. According to her, thanks to flooding season, locals in flood areas earn a million Vietnamese dong per day.
She thanked the local administration’s assistance in taking and picking up her children because, without the government's help, she doesn’t know how to send the children to their schools when she and her husband were out in the field until night.
