- Flood prevented children at a Vietnamese primary from getting to school
- One of the parents transported the entire class across in a plastic bag
- Man swam across river and children arrived safe and dry on the other side
This parent is giving a whole new meaning to ‘school bag’ as he helps a class of primary pupils safely cross a river by taking them in a plastic bag.
When the children in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi in northern Vietnam could not get to school due to spring floods, one father found an unorthodox solution.
As the nearby suspension bridge was out of action, he put the children in a plastic bag to keep them dry, and carried them across the flooded river.
Going in: This bizarre school run was filmed by a teacher in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi in northern Vietnam during the spring floods
Bagged up: When the local river flooded, preventing the children from getting to school, one parent took them across in a plastic bag
Off we go: The unnamed parent took each and every one of the children across the river in the bag
His incredible devotion to the children’s education was filmed by their teacher Tong Thi Minh.
In the clip, one of the children’s fathers can be seen carefully wrapping up each child in a plastic bag before he launches himself neck deep into the raging torrent.
Once at the other side, the still dry child jumps out, before the man swims back to pick up another.
In the clip filmed last year, female teachers and students were seen waiting for their turn to traverse the Nam Po stream.
On dry land: Once a pupil got out of the bag on the other side, the parent returned to pick up another
Safe on the other side: Teacher Tong Thi Minh pictured with the class who were taken across the river in bags
Vietnamese newspaper Tuoi Tre News said a local man was captured holding the bag in one hand and swimming across the water with the other hand despite the powerful currents.
Miss Minh told the newspaper: ‘It’s normal. That’s the only way to cross the stream because no bridge can stand floodwater.
‘I’ve taught here since September last year. At first, I did not know how to ford the stream so I had to follow what local villagers did later.’
According to Miss Minh, many parents in the village also bring their children to school that way to keep their uniforms dry when the area is flooded.
Staying 'safe': Despite everything parents tell you about not putting a plastic bag over your head, this parent ensures the bag is tied up tight
Staying afloat: The parent carried the bag in one hand and swam across with the children one by one
Ready for school: A girl getting out of the plastic bag the other side of the river in Sam Lang village, Dien Bien Province, near Hanoi
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