In the early days of the new school year, Phu Minh ferry wharf (Tan Khanh commune, Thai Nguyen province) became bustling. Long lines of parents and students lined up waiting to get on canoes to cross the river to class.
PV's record on September 8, from early morning, a large number of parents took their children to Phu Minh ferry wharf (Tan Khanh commune) to go to school.
Students were transported by canoes of the Traffic Police Department of Thai Nguyen Provincial Police in coordination with Tan Khanh Commune Police across the river to the other side of the bank. The journey in the early days of going to school to find literacy became more arduous.
Busy at the ferry wharf from early morning, Mr. Duong Dinh Le (Tan Khanh commune, Thai Nguyen province) said that this is the 2nd day that students have been carried by canoe across the river to go to school.
On this side of the river is Doan Ket hamlet of Tan Khanh commune, on the other side of the river is the school located in the old Thuong Dinh commune.
In the past, students went to school and traded by ferry. During this time, the ferry wharf was temporarily closed due to insufficient operating conditions, making travel very difficult," Mr. Le said.
According to Mr. Le, before that, on the morning of September 7, parents had to use small boats to carry students across the river. Each trip could carry 1 or 2 children. Parents had to quit their jobs and go to the riverbank to take their children to class.
After the functional forces grasped the information, yesterday afternoon they mobilized canoes to take the children across the river to school.
Each canoe trip can carry 7 or 8 students, including parents, who are fully equipped with life jackets," Mr. Le said.
Also present at the ferry wharf to take her child to school, Ms. Duong Thi Tien (Tan Khanh commune, Thai Nguyen province) said that this ferry wharf is decades old.
When the ferry terminal is stopped, people's travel is difficult. It is not until the new school year, when the travel demand of students is high, that this situation occurs," Ms. Tien said.
According to Ms. Tien, if you don't cross the river by road, you have to travel about 20km to cross to the other side of the bank. On the morning of the children's first day of school, parents have to row boats to take them away. Then the forces arrange canoes to support the movement.
Using a canoe is probably just a temporary option. Because the number of students is very large, it takes 4 trips back and forth per day. I don't know what will happen later.
I hope there will be a bridge construction plan soon to make travel convenient. If it continues like this, I don't know what to do anymore," Ms. Tien said.
On September 8, in an exchange with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Le Trung Phuong - Vice Chairman of Tan Khanh Commune People's Committee said that the ferry terminal has been temporarily suspended from operation since July due to insufficient conditions.
Today, the police force continues to use canoes to support students to move.
Regarding the long-term plan, the commune has guided the hamlet and coordinated with units to reopen the ferry terminal in the near future, ensuring safe travel for people," Mr. Phuong added.
