Boat ride to school learning experience for teachers

TELUK INTAN: The last thing that crossed the mind of headmistress K. Rajesvary was to take a boat to school, something she has never experienced in her 30 years of teaching.
The first thing that the 59-year-old headmistress of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Ladang Rubana did last Friday was just that.
She will be stuck with this routine until Aug 28 because the Sultan Yusof Bridge over the Perak River near here will be closed till then.
She is one of 11 teachers from six schools in the Sungai Durian Mukim who are among hundreds of people forced to use the boat service after the bridge, also known as Jambatan Batu 5, was closed on Aug 11 for maintenance and repair of the pot bearings.
Rajesvary told Bernama that she started taking the boat last Friday because until then light vehicles were allowed to use the bridge.
"I have no choice because the drive on the alternative road to get across the river is about 100km," she said.
The boat service is available from 6.30am to 7pm daily at the Pokok Asam Jetty for a fare of 50 sen per person one way and an 80 sen charge to take motorcycles across.
Rajesvary, who will retire in October, said she was getting pains all over the body after using the Kampung Sungai Kerang gravel road.
"However, the experience is enriching," she said of the boat ride.
Anuar Kintan, 50, headmaster of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Jejawi, said taking the boat provided him with the nostalgic reminder of the 1980s when, in his younger days, he had to go by boat to Teluk Intan.
"It has been a long time since I took a boat ride and brought my motorcycle along," said Anuar, who hails from Kampung Gajah.
Khairi Jamaluddin, 41, an Arabic language teacher of Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Jejawi, said he had to wake up much earlier so as not to be late for school.
The teacher, who hails from Cameron Highlands and stays in Taman Padang Tembak here, thanked the Hilir Perak District Education Office for taking the initiative to distribute safety jackets to the boat passengers.
N.Moganathan, 25, an English language teacher of SK Sungai Jejawi who hails from Butterworth, said taking the boat helped him to save on transportation cost.
Among the people who faithfully use the boat to get across the river are the villagers of Kampung Sungai Ranggam, Kampung Sungai Jejawi, Kampung Sungai Buaya, Kampung Sungai Timah and Kampung Sungai Kerang and workers of several estates like Ladang Sabrang, Ladang Rubana and Ladang Sungai Timah. — Bernama