VietNamNet Bridge – Pupils of Ho Dap primary and junior secondary schools in the northern province of Bac Giang daily have to row across a huge reservoir to go to school.

As one of the three largest reservoirs in northern Vietnam, Cam Son is 30km

long and 7km wide at some sections. It is located between Bac Giang and Lang Son provinces.

Ho Dap commune in Luc Ngan district, Bac Giang province is divided into two

parts by the reservoir. To go to school, many pupils have to row across the reservoir everyday.

Kids use small boats to cross the vast reservoir, which in some places is up  to 60 deep.

 Before getting into boats, they have to pail out water out of the boats.

Sometimes they have to bail out water out of old boats amid the reservoir.

Many girls can row very well.

 Of 11 villages in Ho Dap commune, children in 9 villages have to go

to school on boats. All of them can row. On rainy or foggy days,

they are dripping wet when they arrive at shool.

 Pupil Nung Van Ban said that sometimes his bags and books were

wet because of rain or because the boat was upturned.

Many students in Ho Dap have to walk 30 kilometers to go to school.

For boarders, they have to make great effort to go to school.

However, the ratio of pupils who drop out school is very low.

Their homes are far from school so after class so many students are boarders.

Pupil Luong Van Thai said his parents give him VND5000 ($0.25) a week.

He brings rice and food from home to school.

 The “kitchen” of Ho Dap school’s pupils.

 Soya curd and dried fish are daily cuisines of pupil. Each 6-7 pupils share a cook.

They sleep in classrooms.

They also study at night.

PV