Children in the Indigenous community of Manawarin, Region One, are being forced to navigate deep mud, slush and overgrown terrain to reach school, prompting Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed to demand immediate government intervention to restore safe access to the community’s landing.
A video recorded by a concerned citizen and subsequently shared by the Opposition Leader shows schoolchildren walking through tall grass and muddy ground, carrying their shoes in their hands as they make their way through difficult conditions. The footage has renewed concerns about the safety and accessibility of the school journey for children in the remote community.
Mohamed said the situation had persisted for years, affecting both students and teachers because a heavily silted canal prevents boats from reaching the landing as intended.
In a statement accompanying the video, the Opposition Leader criticised the authorities for failing to address the problem despite visits to the community and repeated promises of improvements.
“Children in Manawarin, along with their teachers, have for years been forced to endure punishing conditions just to reach to school,” Mohamed said.
He said the canal, which should provide boat access to the landing, remained heavily silted, leaving children to wade through deep mud while carrying their school shoes to protect them from the conditions.
“This is not a temporary inconvenience. It is a daily barrier affecting Indigenous communities,” he said.
Mohamed called on the relevant authorities to deploy an excavator immediately to desilt the canal, arguing that restoring access for boats would reduce the need for children to walk through hazardous and difficult terrain.
The Opposition Leader also called on Minister of Amerindian Affairs Sarah Browne-Shadeek and Minister of Education Sonia Parag to intervene and ensure the longstanding problem is addressed.
“Indigenous children should not have to struggle through mud for the basic right to an education,” Mohamed said.
Residents question government response
The concerns follow complaints from residents of Manawarin, who have questioned why children must endure difficult conditions to attend school while government officials and ministers travel to the community by helicopter and aircraft.
Residents said officials had visited the area and made commitments to improve access, including dredging drains to allow boats to reach closer to the landing. They contend that the proposed works would make the journey safer and more manageable for schoolchildren.
One resident appealed directly to the Opposition Leader, questioning the response of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to the community’s concerns.
“What is our Minister of Amerindian Affairs doing for us? What is she doing for the people of Manawarrin?” the resident asked.
The complaints highlight the practical challenges facing residents of remote Indigenous communities, where inadequate transportation infrastructure can affect children’s access to education and place additional burdens on families and teachers.
The video has also drawn attention to the contrast between official visits to the community and residents’ calls for basic infrastructure improvements that would make daily life safer.
While the Opposition Leader has called for immediate action, the concerns raised by residents centre on the need for the promised canal and drainage works to be completed so that boats can once again reach the landing.
The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Ministry of Education are being urged to address the situation, with residents seeking a lasting solution rather than further assurances.
