Flooded crossing puts rural students at risk

A video showing a teacher helping students cross a flooded river in the interior of Ba last week has sparked renewed concern over rural infrastructure and student safety.

The footage, widely shared on social media, shows Tuidamudamu Davui guiding children through rising waters near Ratu Nalewavada Public School (RNPS).

However, Mr Davui said such incidents are not unusual.

He said that last Wednesday he and a group of students were travelling to Natawa Village, about 45 minutes from the school, when they encountered flooding at a river crossing.

“It was flooded. It’s another 45 minutes down to the river before crossing to the village,” he said.

Students cross the flooded river.

Supplied

“The idea was not to let the students walk across. I asked the driver if we could wait for the water to go down so we could transport them safely.”

Mr Davui, who is from Nananu, Namena, Tailevu, is currently posted to the remote school after previously teaching in Suva.

He said access to the area becomes difficult during heavy rain and that the bridge requires urgent renovation. The road, he added, has been in place since the 1970s during the construction of the Vaturu Dam.

Mr Davui (right) who is from Nananu, Namena, Tailevu, is currently posted to the remote school after previously teaching in Suva.

Waisea Nasokia

“The conditions are bad. If the road is good, students can wait at the riverbank, and the carrier can pick them up. But if it’s bad, they must walk up and down again,” he said.

Despite the challenges, 11 students from Natawa Village and Navuninatawa Settlement attend RNPS this year. The school roll stands at 125 students, the same as last year.

“It’s a big achievement for us. We thank the parents who live far from the school for sending their children here,” Mr Davui said.

“We will continue striving for quality education. The lives of our students are our priority.”

Parent Laite Rokoca, 38, of Natawa Village, said her Year 3 child travels about 50 minutes one way to school on an RSL carrier.

“My child wakes up around 5am and boards transport at 6am to travel to school every day,” she said.

“As a parent, I believe education is paramount despite how remote we live. There is an issue with the road that needs attention.”

RSL driver Epeli Vamosi, 50, said he takes risks daily to ensure children reach school safely.

“I drive and risk my life just to see the children go to school every day,” he said.

When this masthead visited the school, teams from the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) were in the area carrying out assessments.