The man who has crossed the sea every day for seven years to take his children to school: “Then I return home by boat”

When parents choose a school for their children, they typically pick one close to their home or, if that is not possible, near the grandparents’ house or one parent’s workplace. Sometimes the school is a little farther away than usual, and the children have to ride a school bus to get there.

But the family at the center of this story does things very differently. In Malaysia, one family crosses the sea every day so their children can attend school. They live on Pulau Tioman, where educational options are limited, especially in their village of Kampung Salang.

Even so, the parents are determined to give their children the education they deserve. Every school day, they take a boat to Sekolah Kebangsaan Tekek, where the children attend classes.

Four hours by land

If the family traveled overland, the journey would take about four hours because they would have to cross dense forests, steep terrain, and areas where they could encounter venomous animals.

“That’s why we use a boat. It takes only 10 to 15 minutes to pass through three neighboring villages, even when the weather is bad," the father told local news outlet Sinar Harian.

The father, Jamaludin Musa, says the daily routine for his two children, 11-year-old Armin and 8-year-old Aida Izabella, begins at 6:30 a.m. His wife, Rozalia Bodi, gets the children ready before they ride a motorcycle to the pier. From there, they board a boat. After reaching the other side, they hop on another motorcycle to complete the final stretch to school.

Outstanding academic performance

After dropping off the children, Jamaludin heads back home by boat. At the end of the school day, he returns to pick them up using the same route.

“Then I head back home by boat and wait until it’s time to pick up the kids after school. We use three different forms of transportation every day," he said.

Despite the demanding commute, Jamaludin says the effort has paid off. His children are performing exceptionally well in school, particularly in sports.

Their success in athletics does not surprise him. Because of the challenges of traveling across the sea every day, Jamaludin has taught his children basic boating and navigation skills in case they ever face an emergency on the water. He recalled one trip when the boat’s engine came loose, forcing him to buy a replacement.

A video showing the children’s daily journey to school has drawn widespread admiration on social media. It has already surpassed 1.3 million views and received more than 74,800 likes.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.