VietNamNet Bridge – Many children in the southwestern region whose houses are boats have to quit school early because of many difficulties; but many parents are also trying to send their children to school because, as an illiterate boat trader at the Ca Mau floating market said: “We will finally get old, our boat will break down, perhaps only knowledge will be with our children as assets.”
Childhood drifts with tide
Several years ago, Tran Van Lam, 12, went to Nguyen Binh Khiem school in Long Xuyen but he had to quit school because his father, an on-river trader, died. His mother got married again and two of his brothers left their boat-house for the shore to work as masons. The boy had to sell lottery tickets on the boat at Long Xuyen floating market to earn his living.
“Seeing others going to school, I also want to but if I went to school I would not have rice to eat. I have to sell at least 50 tickets each day to have rice to eat,” the boy said.
He said that if he saved enough money, he would buy a bigger boat to follow his father’s job, an on-river trader.
At the Ca Mau floating market, an on-river trader Nguyen Hung Hau named his children Tien (money) and Vang (gold) and is determined to send them to school to change their lives.
However, the girl named Vang could only study to the third grade and returned to her boat-house to do housework and sell small things with her mother. Her elder brother named Tien tried to study four more years but finally, he returned to his boat-house after finishing the seventh grade.
Day bay day, these children only work, sleep, work and sleep, without newspapers, books or television or any tool of entertainment.
“I don’t know whether we will get rich in the future but now I grieve for lack of study,” said Vang.
There are some cases of illiteracy not because of difficult circumstances but children and their parents accept it.
An on-river trader named Le Thi Thuy in Giong Rieng, Kien Giang Province, said: “In my old time, my parents floated on the boat and I stayed on the shore to go to school. It was very sad to live alone on shore so I quit school when I was a seventh grader to live on the boat with my parents. My children are the same now.”
Her son, Nguyen Dinh Thuong, is now an efficient assistant for his parent on a boat which can carry 24 tonnes of fruit. The family thinks that Thuong will follow his parent’s job when they are old.
I will study to the 18th grade
Through the Tien River, Hau River, Vinh Te River, Cai San and to Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay River, everywhere we met illiterate children on boats. However, some of them surmounted their difficult circumstances to go to school.
We met two small girls who were swimming in Ta Danh River, in Tri Ton district, An Giang district on a late afternoon. A dry coconut seller told us that they were children of an on-river trader and studied very well.
We were very surprised to see many books and newspapers on those children’s boat. Nguyen To Na Vy (13) and Nguyen To Tuong Vy (6) love studying and reading more than other things. Each time they leave their schools, they go to the library of their commune to borrow books.
Na Vy wrote a poem and sent it to the local radio and this poem was read on the local radio. Na Vy’s younger sister, Tuong Vy said: “The ‘Dream’ poem of my sister was spoken on the public radio. I will study till the 18th grade.”
While their parents float on their boat-house, Na Vy and Tuong Vy temporarily stay in a tent located near the river bank to go to school. This year Na Vy enters the 9th grade class while Tuong Vy, 2nd class.
“We will try our best to support their studies,” said Tu Lai, the children’s mother.
At the Long Xuyen floating market, Tran Van Diep, a disabled man, everyday rows a boat to sell lottery tickets to on-river traders. No land, no money, no literacy, Diep’s family is living in extreme difficulties but he still encourages his children to go to school.
“I’m illiterate so you have to try to study to compensate for my lackings,” he told his children.
Loving their parents, Diep’s three children are trying to work to help their parents while going to school. The eldest daughter, Tran Thi Kim Xuyen, 16, works during the day to help her parents and attends class at night. Xuyen has finished the 9th grade class. Her sister and brother are studying at the Trinh Hoai Duc primary school, in the 5th and 3rd grade classes.
“Despite any difficulty, I will study to the 12th grade class and seek a job to assist my parents,” Xuyen said.
Among children of on-river traders in the southwestern region, perhaps Huynh Thi Thu Nga is the luckiest. She is now a third-year student at a university in HCM City. Apart from paying school fees of VND3.6 million per year, the Bay Xi couple bought a VND4.6 million computer for their daughter.
A kind-hearted family on shore permits Nga to connect her boat to their power grid so every night the girl can open her computer to do her drawing exercises.
“In this age, knowledge is very important so we have to strive to invest in my child,” Nga’s mother said.
(Source: Tuoi Tre)