(Dan Tri) - Behind the open letters of schools refusing to accept flowers and gifts on the occasion of November 20th is not only an anti-waste effort but also activities aimed at taking care of students in a practical way.
Open letters "requesting gifts" on November 20
On the occasion of November 20 this year, there have been many open letters from school principals in Ho Chi Minh City about not accepting flowers and familiar gifts and asking to change to other gifts.
In an open letter, Mr. Le Hong Thai, Principal of Phan Van Tri Primary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, shared that every year on Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20, the school receives a lot of congratulatory flowers. However, these flowers are only used for a few days and then thrown away, which is a waste.
Open letter "requesting gift exchange" from Phan Van Tri Primary School, District 1, HCMC (Photo: NT).
While the school organizes many useful sports, art, painting, decoration, piggy bank activities... for the school, teachers, students and parents to participate in and connect, the school's budget only stops at giving certificates of merit to encourage the students.
To avoid waste, Mr. Le Hong Thai wrote an open letter asking to exchange gifts on November 20 for notebooks, milk and sports equipment to reward students.
Kindergarten 14, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City also sent a notice from principal Huynh Thi Phuong Thao asking not to accept flowers and gifts from parents on the occasion of November 20 and asking to change to another gift as a surprise.
The gift the school would like to exchange is "parents' comments through a survey". For the school, this is the biggest and most practical gift on this occasion.
Kindergarten 14, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City would like to exchange comments from parents in lieu of flowers and gifts on the occasion of November 20 (Photo: NTCC).
According to Ms. Thao, the comments can help schools, teachers and parents connect more and understand each other better.
That is also the basis for the school to increasingly improve the work of caring for and educating children.
Many years ago, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City announced that it would not organize receptions, receive flowers and gifts on Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20.
Some other provinces and cities such as Hanoi and Dong Nai also refused to receive guests and flowers and gifts on this occasion.
This content aims to seriously and effectively implement the resolutions, conclusions, and directives of the Party Central Committee and the Law on Practicing Thrift and Combating Wastefulness.
When this spirit spreads to schools, where students are directly educated, the announcements and open letters "refusing to receive flowers and gifts on the occasion of November 20" become more touching and receive public support.
Not only that, this spread is forming a real movement of education in fighting waste and truly caring for students.
The movement actually originated from Teachers' Day November 20.
Talking about the spread and effects of this movement, we cannot help but mention the open letter "requesting to change November 20 flowers and gifts to health insurance cards for students" by Mr. Dinh Phu Cuong, Principal of Nguyen Van Luong Secondary School, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City, on the occasion of November 20, 2023.
According to Mr. Dinh Phu Cuong, schools refusing to accept flowers and gifts on the occasion of November 20 are creating a movement that actually originated from Teachers' Day (Photo: Hoai Nam).
Talking to Dan Tri reporter, Mr. Dinh Phu Cuong said that on the occasion of November 20, the school was flooded with flower arrangements sent by individuals and organizations, but after only 1 or 2 days, someone had to come and clean them up. Not to mention, the cakes were also left all over the desk, too much to eat, which was a waste.
While he looked back, many of his students did not have enough money to buy health insurance. Every year, he and the teachers in the school pooled their own money to buy insurance for poor students, but the teachers' resources were limited.
With the concern "How can we let such waste happen when our students don't even have a health insurance card", the principal boldly wrote an open letter with the above proposal. He himself did not expect that this content would be shared, spread and supported so much.
After just a few weeks, Nguyen Van Luong Secondary School received more than VND200 million, of which an anonymous parent donated VND60 million. After buying health insurance cards for 89 students, the school donated the remaining VND1 million/student to more than 100 disadvantaged students on the occasion of Lunar New Year.
The open letter "requesting to change flowers and cakes on November 20 to health insurance cards" in 2023 of Nguyen Van Luong Secondary School has been widely spread (Photo: D.C).
Not only stopping at insurance cards, behind the refusal to accept flowers and gifts on November 20th of schools now are actions towards taking real care of students and the quality of education.
That is to encourage children to participate in useful activities like at Phan Van Tri Primary School, District 1.
That is to build a connection between parents and schools to improve the quality of child care at Kindergarten 14, Tan Binh District...
Mr. Dinh Phu Cuong believes that the widespread refusal of schools to accept flowers and gifts on November 20th is forming a real movement in education, creating a new tradition on Teachers' Day November 20th. Instead of rituals, formalities, and waste, both givers and receivers should focus on true values in education and care for students.
Like November 20 this year, although the school did not write an open letter asking for health insurance cards, benefactors still sent 120 million VND to take care of the children.
Giving is also receiving, according to Mr. Cuong, when the school and teachers demonstrate their role and do something meaningful on Teachers' Day, that is the greatest gift for the teacher.
The school's refusal to accept flowers and gifts on November 20th, focusing on taking care of students, is also a way to help teachers reduce the pressure of rituals, gifts, and gratitude on this occasion.
As shared by a teacher at Phan Van Tri Primary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, the school's refusal to accept flowers and gifts on holidays, aiming to take care of students, is the most sincere answer to the question "what to give teachers on November 20" which has caused a lot of pressure for both the giver and the receiver for a long time.
Teachers and students of Phan Van Tri Primary School, District 1, HCMC (Photo: NTCC).
"If this practical movement is widely replicated, not only will students benefit and build trust in the school for society, but it will also relieve psychological pressure regarding gifts and gratitude for teachers on November 20th.
Teachers are happy to be recognized, but they are only truly happy when they can join hands to do something for the children on Teachers' Day, November 20, true to the mission of a teacher," the female teacher expressed.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nhung-la-thu-ngo-xin-doi-qua-2011-lay-dong-long-nguoi-20241123124106066.htm
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