Hundreds of pupils in Tien Giang Province are risking their lives to cross a deteriorating wooden bridge in order to go to school each day.
The bridge across Ca Gao Canal
For years, pupils of My Thanh Bac 2 Primary School in My Thanh Bac Commune have to use a tiny bridge to cross Ca Gao Canal. This bridge was built since 1986 with steel and cement but it was almost destroyed in 2000 when a crane barge crossed by. The local people have used wooden planks to connect the banks, but now the bridge has deteriorated.
Local Nguyen Van Quyen said, "The bridge can collapse anytime now and it can only hold one adult at a time. It's dangerous to see old people and pupils use the bridge on a daily basis."
About a few hundred metres away is a new cement bridge, however, most pupils still choose the tiny bridge as it is much closer to home and school.
The deteriorating bridge patched up temporarily for pupils
"We hope the government will build a new bridge soon because the people here are poor and don't have enough funds for this. We can only patch it up temporarily," said Nguyen Hung Vy, a local in My Thanh Bac Commune.
Several people have fallen while crossing the bridge. Luckily, they were all saved but the risk is high because of the traffic due to nearby primary school.
Pupils crossing the bridge each day to school
Dinh Van Tu, party secretary of Hamlet 4 said, "The local budget can't afford a new bridge so whenever the bridge is broken, the locals will patch it up for the pupils."
My Thanh Bac 2 Primary School has 294 pupils. The pupils said they are scared but had got used to it. Their school was right across the bridge so it felt like they have no other choice because the other route was much longer.
