The video shows only some children wearing life jackets as a boatman struggles against the current to take them across the river.

The children are from Kampung Mangkabusu in Pitas. They have been forced to take a sampan to school after the suspension bridge over Sungai Bengkoka was washed away by floods last year.

The situation has disrupted schooling for some 30 students from the village as there are days when the river becomes too dangerous to cross.

Maratin Manjungkat, 40, said he had to go back and forth 12 times a day to ferry the children to school.

“I take all the students across the river. The sampan can only accommodate four children at a time.

“I have to go back and forth six times every morning and another six times in the afternoon. The children have to wait for their turn because I am worried that the sampan will be overloaded,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying.

Asked about the viral video, Manjungkat said it was recorded last Monday by one of the villagers.

“It’s currently examination week. So that day, I had to take them across anyway because I was worried they would miss the examination.

“They were already late for school, so I tried my best to take them across the river quickly,” he said, adding that if it was not for the exams, the children would not go to school every day.

“It is dangerous for them to cross, especially when the water rises,” he said, adding some children have drowned in the river in the past.

“Fortunately, the teachers understand our situation,” he said, adding he hoped the authorities would resolve their problem.

“We have informed the assemblyman regarding the need for a floating suspension bridge. He said he would get it built but the weather is an obstacle,” said Manjungkat, adding that for the time being, the villagers needed bigger boats and more life jackets.

Aside from the students, the over 100 villagers also depend on sampans to cross the river to buy essentials.