Nghe An: Luong Minh's students "cross the flood" to school after the suspension bridge was washed away.

In the mountainous region of Luong Minh (Nghe An), each student's journey to school is no longer a carefree walk on a familiar road, but a precarious crossing of the Nam Non River. The only suspension bridge was swept away by the flood, leaving behind many worries and anxiety. Amidst the difficulties, the desire to learn to read and write still shines brightly in the eyes of children, and the dream of a solid bridge becomes increasingly fervent.

The bumpy ferry trips carrying dreams to school

Early in the morning, when the fog still covered the Nam Non River, little boy Luong Van Ty, a 6th grade student at Luong Minh Secondary School, shouldered his worn school bag and gently held his mother's hand before getting into the small boat. His mother put a life jacket in his hand and said in a trembling voice, "When you cross the river, remember to sit still and don't play around, okay?" The boat rocked, the oars splashing the sparkling water, taking him and his friends to the other side, where the sound of the school drum was waiting.

That was the daily journey to class of hundreds of students in Luong Minh commune after the historic flood at the end of July 2025 - when the only suspension bridge connecting the two banks of Nam Non was washed away.

Every early morning, many parents, students and teachers wait for the boat to cross the river to get to school on time.

Without the bridge, the entire poor highland commune was cut off. Villages deep in the mountains such as Cham Puong, Minh Thanh, Minh Tien, Dua, La, Xop Mat, Minh Phuong, Coi… had no choice but to go to Xop Mat wharf, wait for a boat to cross the river to reach the commune center.

Every morning, the Nam Non River becomes a wall of water blocking the students’ footsteps. From dawn, students call out to each other, crowding around the wharf. The small wooden boat can only carry 10-15 students, swaying on the turbulent water. A trip across the river takes nearly 15 minutes. To take all 500 primary and secondary school students, the boat has to turn around dozens of times.

The eyes of the parents standing on the shore never stopped worrying. Many did not dare to turn their backs, just stood there holding their breath watching until the boat reached the shore safely before breathing a sigh of relief. "Seeing my child sitting and swaying in the middle of the river made my heart burn like fire. But if my child does not go to school, I will lose, so I have to leave it to the life jackets and the militia to steer the boat" - Ms. Lo Thi Hoa, a parent of Minh Thanh village, shared.

Luong Minh commune police mobilized manpower and boats to take students across the river.

Not only students, more than 30 teachers from both schools also had to cross the river every day. One teacher said that one day it was raining, the water was flowing fast, the boat was rocking, everyone was panicking. But thinking of the class, of the students waiting, they tightened their life jacket straps, gritted their teeth and crossed.

The Commune People's Committee quickly set up a team to support students crossing the river, assigning police, military , and militia to take turns on duty. Life jackets, lifelines, and sirens were prepared. The Commune Chairman and Vice Chairman even used their family cars to transport students from the boat dock to school. These simple images helped parents to ease their worries, but the insecurity was still present.

The desire to learn and the longing for a bridge

What is admirable is that amidst all the dangers, not a single student skipped class. Every morning, the Xop Mat wharf is filled with the laughter of children. The children reassure each other, the older ones hold the younger ones' hands, saying "just sit still, the boat will take you across". Their clear eyes shine with the desire to learn and write, to continue their fathers' dream of escaping poverty.

After being taken across the river by authorities, the children arrived at Luong Minh Primary Boarding School on the morning of September 3.

"Floods can wash away bridges, but they cannot wash away students' faith," said Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Principal of Luong Minh Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, emotionally. He said that seeing students covered in mud but still carrying their schoolbags to class, made teachers and students even more determined to keep their knowledge in the mountains and forests.

However, everyone understands that the small ferry trips are only a temporary solution. Two small boats cannot carry hundreds of students forever, especially in the upcoming flood season. Just one strong wind or one big wave can have unpredictable consequences.

Due to difficult travel conditions, the school and parents agreed to let their children stay and study at school.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Chairman of the People's Committee of Luong Minh Commune, worried: "If there is no bridge, the four inner villages will have to travel hundreds of kilometers by road to reach the commune center. We sincerely hope that the province and the Central Government will soon allocate capital and shorten the construction time, so that students can safely go to school."

A bridge not only connects the two banks of Nam Non, but also serves as a bridge of knowledge, paving the way for local socio -economic development, gradually erasing the gap between the inner and outer regions. More importantly, that bridge will keep the dream of learning for many generations of students in this mountainous region that is still facing many difficulties.

Lunch of students of Luong Minh Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities

In the afternoon, the Nam Non River still flows rapidly. Little boy Luong Van Ty is with his friends having a meal at a school far from his village. The road to school is bumpy, but the children never stop nurturing their dreams. And at this riverside, the people of Luong Minh still entrust their aspirations to a bridge every day - a bridge of safety, of knowledge, of the future.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nghe-an-hoc-tro-luong-minh-vuot-lu-den-truong-sau-khi-cau-tréo-bi-cuon-troi-20250903161909103.htm