Young teacher 10 years helping students go to class

Teacher Pham Thi Hong with her students - Photo: TAM NGUYEN

Ms. Hong waved back and said gently: "Tomorrow when you go to school, I will prepare a white shirt, scarf and books. There are lots of candies and cakes, you can go to school to get your books and notebooks to go to school."

From the white shirt student the color of congee

These are two of the many students that Ms. Hong has supported and helped during more than 10 years of teaching in this remote and difficult commune. Therefore, the image of the teacher mobilizing students, convincing parents, and helping those in difficult circumstances is familiar to the people in Plao Sieng and many other villages in Lak and Krong No districts (Dak Nong).

Ms. Hong said that in 2013, she graduated from Tay Nguyen University with a degree in literature but could not find a job. So for four years, whenever a school in the district had a teacher on maternity leave, Ms. Hong would apply to teach for a few months.

It was not until 2017 that Hong was accepted to teach on a contract at Tran Quoc Toan Secondary School. "Until now, I have not been officially hired, I am still a contract teacher, but I am happy because I am doing the right job, helping students," Ms. Hong confided.

Ms. Hong recalled the first days of returning to school, on November 20th, a Hmong student wearing a white shirt stained with congee, two buttons missing, shyly came up to see her.

"He brought out a plastic flower from behind his back to give to her on Vietnamese Teachers' Day, wishing her good health. That simple image touched me deeply and I will always remember it.

After many years of teaching, being congratulated on Teachers' Day every year, the image of that student left a deep impression on me. I also felt sorry for the student who only wore shabby clothes to school, and had not yet had enough to eat, so learning was extremely difficult," she said.

So Ms. Hong came back to establish the Giving Love Volunteer Club to mobilize benefactors to donate books and clothes to help students feel confident on the first day of school.

"This year, I have mobilized hundreds of backpacks, books and 60 white shirts to give to students. I am also working with the Giving Love Volunteer Club to mobilize more tuition fees to help students in difficult circumstances who are at risk of dropping out of school."

Help students go to school confidently

These past few days, Ms. Hong has been busy preparing everything from tuition fees, food money to buying some supplies for Vu Thi Sanh, a new student at Tay Nguyen University, to start school. Ms. Hong was Sanh's homeroom teacher in 9th grade. At that time, she heard that the girl had to drop out of school because her father passed away, and her mother could not handle raising six children alone.

"My mother wanted Sanh to quit school and go work to help the family, but I really wanted to study. Studying was to escape poverty, to escape the village's view that girls didn't need to study, they just needed to get married and have children," she recalled.

So Ms. Hong rushed to Sanh's house to convince the student's mother. She promised to take care of the student's food and tuition fees, then Sanh's mother agreed. When Sanh went to high school, he went to school 50km away from home. Ms. Hong also asked friends and colleagues to support him so that he could have a part-time job and complete high school with excellent student results for three consecutive years.

Mr. Trinh Van Quyet, principal of Tran Quoc Toan Secondary School, said that the school is located in a remote commune, where most parents have very difficult economic conditions. Every year, the school has to mobilize additional support to help students not have to drop out of school.

"I have only been at the school for two years, but Ms. Hong's group's volunteer activities and calls for help for students have been going on for many years. Many students are not only supported with clothes, shoes, and books, but also receive tuition and a small amount of money for food every month. Ms. Hong's work helps students suffer less and feel more confident going to school," Mr. Quyet confided.

Teacher mobilizes thousands of school bags and clothes for students

Mr. Dang Xuan Kien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ea R'bin Commune, said that Ms. Hong is a bright spot in the locality. For many years, Ms. Hong and her group have mobilized thousands of school bags, new clothes, gifts, and money to help students return to school.

She is also an enthusiastic person who goes to each household to encourage students to go to school, and convinces parents not to force their children to stay home and work in the fields. Notably, she not only helps students at her school but also students at many other schools.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/co-giao-tre-10-nam-giup-hoc-tro-den-lop-20240827085958724.htm