'The house is flooded but let's worry about the students first'

Teachers in Lao Cai clean up to welcome students back - Photo provided by teacher

The damage caused by the storm and flood has not yet been completely repaired, but each day more classes are opening and welcoming students back to school. This is a great effort from many parties, including many teachers who have had to temporarily put aside family matters to focus on taking care of the school.

Go to the village early in the morning and return late at night.

After more than a week of struggling to take care of everything, Ms. Hoang Mai Hoa - Vice Principal of Phuc Khanh Primary and Secondary School No. 1 (Bao Yen, Lao Cai) - dared to think "I will probably go home early tonight". Ms. Hoa's house was also flooded, her property was damaged and swept away by the flood. Her husband, who works as a security guard at the hospital, also had to work overtime to prevent the flood.

The only "main force" in Ms. Hoa's family is her 12th grader, who has to take care of her 85-year-old grandmother and her disabled sister. The biggest asset in her family, the two motorbikes that she and her husband use to get to work, were both damaged by the flood. Ms. Hoa was in Lang Nu when the flood started to peak.

"I am in charge of the primary school and the school in Lang Nu. When the flood rose, the teachers and I rushed to the school to check. When we heard that the village was buried, without anyone telling us, we all rushed to help.

I went to the hospital to take care of the injured. The other teachers also had their own tasks: helping people evacuate, delivering food to soldiers and militia in the search area, cleaning up... For a week, I went to Lang Nu early in the morning and returned late at night. The house was flooded, but I had to leave it there for now," Ms. Hoa recalled.

Principal Pham Duc Vinh's decision to bring all students from grades 1 to 9 from the remote location to the main school was supported by Ms. Hoa and the teachers because everyone was worried about the students and no one wanted any more pain to happen to their students.

The first lesson in class 2A of Phuc Khanh Primary and Secondary School No. 1 (photo above) . Currently, teachers in the school have to take care of extra meals for 130 students of Lang Nu (photo below, left) . The school's traditional room has also been "converted" into a dormitory for students (photo below, right) - Photo: TRUNG KIEN

"My school is not a boarding school but a normal inter-level school with boarding students. So teachers do not enjoy the benefits of teachers at boarding schools. However, we still tell each other to try our best for the safety of the students.

On September 16, nearly 150 students were allowed to stay at the school, including about 100 primary and secondary school students in Lang Nu. Before that, teachers had a hard day's work to build two more rooms for the students, then carry rice and gather necessities to cook for the children the next day.

That night, the entire school board and some teachers stayed at school with the students. It was raining heavily, I went to check the bedrooms and saw the children sleeping soundly. Even the first graders were well-behaved and did not cry for their parents. I felt very secure.

Who knows what could happen with such heavy rain. So, I feel relieved to be able to take the children back to school, even though there are still many difficulties ahead to take care of the newly increased number of boarding students," Ms. Hoa confided.

Phuc Khanh Primary and Secondary School No. 1 had its second day of students returning to class. Ms. Hoa said that only a few injured students were hospitalized, but all had returned to class. Now she can rest assured to take care of her small family.

Students arrange their own clothes and belongings at Phuc Khanh Primary and Secondary School No. 1 (Bao Yen, Lao Cai) - Photo: VU TUAN

Looking forward to the day students return

Mr. Do Huu Manh, vice principal of Nam Luc Boarding School (Bac Ha, Lao Cai), lives 15km from the school. Since the flood and the landslide in Nam Luc, he has been at the school regularly. The school did not suffer much damage, only two slopes and the boarding house collapsed, but the human loss was great.

"There was no electricity and no phone signal to communicate, so until September 16, we were only able to contact parents in Nam Tong village (one of eight villages with students studying at the school). Up to this point, we also know that five students have died, seven others were injured, three of whom were seriously injured.

The school also has a student, Ly Thi Thuy Van, a third grader who lost her father, mother, and siblings. She is now living alone with her uncle. Now we are taking turns trying to contact parents in other villages, but some have been able to call, others have not. The damage is still uncalculated," said Mr. Manh.

Tables and chairs soaked in water are being dried by teachers - Photo provided by teachers

As of September 17, Nam Luc Primary School could not organize classes because the area was isolated and many roads were eroded. "The students of my school live a few kilometers away, while some live 12 kilometers away and have to go through ravines and steep mountains with great difficulty.

In recent days, rescue forces have only focused on the landslide in Nam Tong, but the roads to other villages have not been cleared yet. There are too many landslides and human power is not enough, we must wait for machines to be able to do it faster," said Mr. Manh.

Mr. Manh also said that the hill right next to the school has cracks. If there is continued heavy rain, there is a real risk of landslides. Therefore, even if students can return to school when the road is clear, they still have to wait for experts to assess the risk of landslides. If safety is not guaranteed, other options may have to be considered.

"The school has nine teachers whose homes were also flooded, the flood swept away their property, it was very difficult, but for many days now, the teachers have had to go to the school to clean up, and take turns contacting the students' families.

We had to meet to adjust the teaching plan to make up for the students when they return to school. The difficulties of this school year will be great, but as long as the students return, we will try," said Mr. Manh.

Teachers at Tran Nhat Duat High School, Yen Binh, Yen Bai , clean up mud after the water receded from the school - Photo provided by teacher

Education sector lost about 1,260 billion VND

According to reports from 18/26 provinces and centrally-run cities sent to the Ministry of Education and Training, as of September 16, the total damage to facilities and teaching equipment is estimated at 1,260 billion VND.

Damage to facilities was nearly 515 billion VND, of which secondary schools suffered the most damage; damage to teaching equipment was nearly 746 billion VND, of which preschools suffered the most damage. The number of damaged textbooks was 41,564 sets.

Muong La: studying in temporary shelters

Classroom in a temporary shelter in Pi Toong commune, Muong La district, Son La province - Photo: Provided by teacher

Nearly 30 preschool, first and second graders in Na Tra village (Pi Toong commune, Muong La district, Son La province) have returned to school after the storm and flood, but they are studying in hastily set up shelters at the evacuation site. This is a separate location of Pi Toong Primary School, including a preschool class and a combined class of first and second graders.

For the first time, Na Tra children had the experience of studying in sheds built with steel frames, covered with corrugated iron, and covered with waterproof tarpaulin. Tables, chairs, and blackboards were moved from the previous location. This is a temporary study area 600 - 700m away from the old location, far from the area at risk of landslides.

Not only students but also 48 families in Na Tra had to evacuate. Sharing with Tuoi Tre on September 17, Mr. Vi Van Thanh - Secretary of the Party Committee of Pi Toong commune - said that the children in Na Tra village may still have to study in temporary shelters for a while longer because to ensure the safety of the people, Na Tra village will have to move to a new location.

"Of the 48 households, 14 are located in areas at very high risk of landslides and 11 others are also in danger below because the landslide will drag down the houses above. The commune authorities have asked children and the elderly to evacuate. Only healthy adults can go home during the day to take care of work and sleep in shelters at night at the evacuation site," said Mr. Thanh.

Along with building shelters for the school, Muong La district previously mobilized forces with the support of the army to build temporary shelters for households. The shelters of the households only have steel frames covered with tarpaulin. Of the 48 households, 41 are poor households and 100% are Mong ethnic people.

"When we move to a new place, we will rebuild the school. For now, the children still have to study in temporary shelters because we cannot stop studying for long," said Mr. Thanh.

Hanoi: Students at 59 schools cannot study directly

Students of Thang Long Secondary School (Hanoi) donate to support students facing difficulties due to storms and floods on the first day back to school - Photo: VINH HUONG

As of September 17, Hanoi still has 59 schools that cannot allow students to go to school in person, just two fewer than the previous day. Among them are 20 kindergartens, 20 primary schools, 18 secondary schools and 1 high school.

These schools are located in low-lying areas, with the entrance, gate, and schoolyard still flooded. Many families of evacuated students have not been able to return home. The only high school that has not been able to let students return to school is Son Tay High School. This school is currently organizing online classes.

According to the Department of Education and Training, schools that have not yet allowed students to return to in-person classes can teach online if they have the necessary equipment. Schools that do not have the necessary equipment must use other methods to assign homework and guide students to study remotely.

At some schools, on the first day students returned after the storm, schools held talks about natural disasters, storms and floods, and raised money to support students in areas with heavy damage.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nha-ngap-ngon-ngang-nhung-lo-cho-hoc-tro-truoc-da-20240918090932582.htm