Cambodia's floating schools hit by rising fuel costs
The Iran war has sent fuel prices higher in Cambodia, squeezing families who rely on fishing and boats for their livelihoods. For children living on Tonle Sap, rising fuel costs pose yet another barrier to education.
Every morning, Soksan Set faces a journey most children his age never have to contemplate. His home sits on Prek Toal, a floating community on Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, where boats are the principal mode of transportation. A Grade 4 student at the local primary school, Soksan travels several kilometers on water to attend class and occasionally assists younger children along the way.
However, the primary obstacle between Soksan and his classroom has shifted from distance to fuel costs. Soksan's family, like many others in the commune, relies on fishing for their livelihood. When fuel prices surge, they are compelled to make challenging decisions. "When gasoline prices go up, we don't have enough money to take our children to school regularly," Soksan's father, Set Soeum, explained.
"We don't catch enough fish, and we need around three liters of gasoline daily to travel long distances for fishing." Consequently, Soksan frequently misses school. Rising fuel costs pose a significant barrier to education for families living on the water in Cambodia. Cambodia imports all of its petroleum products and has no domestic refining capacity, leaving the country vulnerable to global price shocks and regional supply disruptions.
A 45% increase in gasoline prices and a 70% increase in diesel prices in March marked the largest single-month rise in fuel costs since 2008. Although Cambodia does not directly depend on the Strait of Hormuz for fuel imports, it remains exposed to higher global oil prices and supply disruptions affecting regional suppliers. Soksan's family often borrows money to purchase gasoline or cuts back on food, clothing, or school supplies.
To conserve resources, five students pool their funds to buy gasoline, sometimes contributing just one liter at a time. When they cannot afford even that, they row themselves, taking up to an hour to reach school. In the dry season, 12-year-old Siyien Ly walks over 30 minutes to school. When flooding renders roads impassable, she relies on an aid-supported school boat.
Some of her classmates have discontinued attending due to the inability of their families to afford transportation. Despite rising fuel prices, Siyien and her classmates persist in attending school, emphasizing the importance of education for their future. Siyien's family of six includes four children in school. Her mother, Kunthea Chin, now sells sugarcane juice after Sokien's father suffered a hearing impairment following a water-related accident.
Kunthea's income has plummeted from approximately 80,000 riel ($20) to around 40,000 riel, while her monthly fuel expenses have escalated to around 600,000 riel ($150) for both her children's transportation and her business. Families attempt to reduce costs by traveling together and sharing fuel expenses. Some have reverted to traditional rowing boats; however, saving money may compromise safety.
When multiple children share a small boat, it can become overcrowded, particularly during storms and heavy rain, prompting parents to worry about their children's safety on the water. Action Education in Cambodia's country director, Samphors Vorn, underscores that remote schools depend on boats for transporting teachers, textbooks, classroom materials, food, and maintenance supplies.
Consequently, higher fuel prices elevate the cost of delivering education itself. For children residing in floating and remote communities, accessing education hinges not only on the presence of a school but also on the ability to reach it. Rising fuel costs have transformed transportation into a barrier to attendance and, ultimately, a child's right to education.
The Cambodian government has implemented measures to mitigate the impact of international fuel-price increases, such as fuel discounts, tax reductions, and zero customs duties on fuel imports. However, subsidies at the pump cannot fully shield families with low and unpredictable incomes. Last year, a report from Deutsche Welle (DW) highlighted how climate change was disrupting children's education in the region.
Rising and falling water levels, extreme weather, and the hazards of traveling by boat pose challenges for children in floating communities attempting to reach school. Today, 14-year-old Nary is no longer in the classroom due to persistent headaches resulting from suspected long-term meningitis. Her younger sister, 11-year-old Naren, continues attending Grade 2, relying on a school boat and paying around 500 riel ($0.12) for the return journey.
For their family, even minor costs matter. Their father, Tit Sarin, earns approximately 30,000 riel ($7.50) per day from traditional fishing. Nevertheless, traveling farther across the lake to find fish may require about six liters of fuel, amounting to roughly $6.60. When fuel costs cannot be afforded, the family resorts to alternative work, such as picking chilies for meager wages of 1,000 riel ($0.25) per kilogram.
Nary aspires to resume her education, and her father is saving to acquire a dedicated boat to shuttle his children to and from school.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
