Sarawak students take 3-hour hike for internet access

 

The students catching up on their school work and messages after their three-hour hike to a high spot. (Sambau Dugat pic)

KUCHING: A teacher in Lubok Antu, Sarawak, has gone the extra mile to ensure children in his longhouse can keep up with their studies following the closure of schools nationwide.

Sambau Dugat, 43, a science teacher from SMK Lubok Antu, said most of the students did not have access to computers and reliable internet.

After learning about the problem, he decided to seek a location with better connection to allow them to study online.

So, he led the students on a three-hour hike to a higher spot where there was more stable internet connection, allowing the students to check messages and other information posted online by their teachers through social media or the WhatsApp group chat.

The group of 20 primary and secondary school children led by Sambau Dugat (front).

Eight primary school children from SK Ng Delok and 12 secondary students from SMK Lubok Antu, SMK Engkilili and SMK Tabuan Jaya sports school followed him on the hike on Sunday.

Sambau said he had gone back to his longhouse in Nanga Sumpa during the weekend and found that the village students could not resume their studies online.

“I knew I had to do something. Some parents and family members had also decided to follow us and helped to take care of the students.

“We started our journey at 9.30am and reached there at 12.30pm. We spent an hour there as it was about to rain. We then had to return to the longhouse,” he told FMT.

The group crossing a stream during their hike.

He said the children were mostly staying at school hostels in Lubok Antu but had returned to the village as schools were closed.

He said the most affordable option for the longhouse children was to hike to a higher spot, instead of travelling to the nearest town, for internet access.

Sambau said it takes about 30 minutes to travel to the nearest town, Lubok Antu, by road and another one-and-a-half hours by boat, and it costs about RM20 to RM30 a person.

A helper giving two of the children a piggyback ride while crossing the stream.

He said he could only return to the longhouse during the weekend as he was working from home in Lubok Antu, conducting online classes as well.

“I grew up in the longhouse and I know the situation very well. I was worried that the students would be left behind as they have no internet for online study while most of the parents are farmers,” he said. - FMT