School Children Using Thermocol Boxes To Cross River In MP? No! Viral Video Is From Indonesia

A 15-second-long-video showing three school children rowing thermocol boxes to cross a river is going viral on social media platforms, with users claiming that the incident happened in Madhya Pradesh.

Newschecker, however, found the claim to be untrue. 

Several X, Facebook and Instagram users shared the video with the text overlay alleging, “Children cross the river by climbing on thermocol and then walk 2 KMs to study (Madhya Pradesh).” 

Such posts can be found here, here and here.

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Fact Check/Verification

We conducted a Google Lens search on the keyframes of the viral clip which led us to a report by Indonesia-based Kompas.com, dated September 25, 2021. Carrying a screengrab from the viral clip, it stated that three students pedaled a styrofoam to reach their school at SDN 1 Kuala 12, Tulung Selapan District in South Sumatra. 

“When asked about this matter, the Head of Planning and Finance Affairs of Kuala 12 Village, Adi Perdana, said that what the three elementary school students did was a normal thing. According to Adi, children in their village are used to using styrofoam boxes as a substitute for boats when going to school. Usually, according to Adi, students are dropped off and picked up by their parents using boats or speed boats. However, sometimes children refuse to be taken and prefer to use styrofoam (translated from Indonesian via Google),” the report added.

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A report by Tribun Jateng from September 26, 2021, too, featured a screengrab from the viral video corroborating that the incident happened in Kuala 12 Village, of Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency in South Sumatra.

Another Indonesian news outlet Metro TV featured the viral footage, confirming that it was from South Sumatra. It also featured other videos showing students crossing the river on a styrofoam. 

Multiple other Indonesian outlets, such as this, this and this, reported on the incident in September 2021.

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Conclusion

Hence, we find the viral posts, alleging to show school children using thermocol boxes to cross a river in Madhya Pradesh, are false.

Sources
Report By Kompas.com, Dated September 25, 2021
Report By Tribun Jateng, Dated September 26, 2021
YouTube Video By Metro TV, Dated September 25, 2021