Pupils' two-day muddy walk to school strikes a chord on social media

A screenshot of the video shared by an SK Magandai teacher who goes by the handle Moniq Cfrndz on social media.

KOTA KINABALU: Two boys told their teacher they were tired and hungry, adding that "last night was cold" when they arrived at SK Magandai in Sabah's interior Kota Marudu district after a two-day walk.

The teacher, who goes by the handle Moniq Cfrndz on social media, welcomed the two when they finally reached school after two days of walking.

She shared a video of them covered in mud while holding their umbrellas and a bag believed to contain some clothes and their school books.

“How do you feel?” the teacher was heard asking the boys, who were seen smiling when she offered them food she had prepared for them.

“Penat dan lapar (tired and hungry). Semalam sejuk la (last night was cold),” they said.

The boys were also heard saying that their teacher, Hafiz, had fallen ill.

Apparently, the boys had first travelled to school using a villager’s car, but they had to continue the journey by foot when the car broke down.

However, they had to stop and seek shelter in a villager’s home for the night with another teacher due to rain and mud, making it difficult for them to continue their journey to school safely.

When they continued their walk to school the next day, they had to brave through the mud and distance.

Moniq shared a video of the incident, which had gone viral.

In her post, she said how heartbreaking it was to see children this young go through such hardships but were still willing to go to school to gain knowledge.

She hoped the authorities and people in charge would quickly mend and construct the road meant for villagers.

Sabah Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said the road - Jalan Magandai - which was much-talked about after the incident, was actually under construction.

“The 40km road starting from Kg Tondig to SK Magandai, Kota Marudu, is under construction,” he said in a statement, Saturday (Jan 20).

“The contractor informed us that their machinery was at the site and would also be sent to areas where damage always occurred for maintenance when the need arises,” he said.

Shahelmey said due to constant rains, the earth structure turned soft and this made it difficult for construction as well as maintenance works to be carried out.

He said contractors and workers stationed in the area are often there to assist villagers whenever they need help.