Valedictorian of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy received full scholarship but still worried about 'breaking' dream

Nguyen Le Minh Chuong (second from right) was awarded the valedictorian scholarship by Associate Professor, Dr. Vuong Thi Ngoc Lan - Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy - at the opening ceremony of the 2024-2025 school year - Photo: TRAN HUYNH

Nguyen Le Minh Chuong (12th grade student at Nguyen Binh Khiem High School for the Gifted, Vinh Long province), valedictorian of the Medical Imaging Technology major in the 2024 admissions, was honored at the recent opening ceremony of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

But the new student was still burdened with the worry that his studies would be interrupted halfway.

Parents work hard to get their children into prestigious schools.

When everyone is asleep, many nights in the small house in Thanh Thuy hamlet (An Phuoc commune, Mang Thit district, Vinh Long), the sound of sewing machines can still be heard. For more than 2 months now, Ms. Le Thi Duong Tam (45 years old, Chuong's mother) has been sitting with the lamp on all day, diligently working on the sewing machine.

Mrs. Tam confided: "My husband and I have an only son, Chuong. The whole family has been living off this sewing machine and my husband's wages.

Looking at the tuition fee of 46 million VND/year of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and hearing that it will be higher in the following years, my husband and I decided to work harder to earn a little more money to take care of our children's education as long as possible.

Ms. Le Thi Duong Tam tries to work harder to earn money to pay for her children's university education - Photo: CHI HANH

Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet (47 years old, Chuong's father), used to be a welder, often working at outdoor construction sites, facing the sun and rain. So far, he has had two serious work-related injuries, a broken index finger on his left hand in 2007 and a serious injury to his left foot in 2019.

Due to years of exposure to welding light, his eyesight is no longer clear. His labor force has decreased and he can no longer do heavy work.

"Now my husband can only do light work, whatever people in the neighborhood hire him to do. Recently, Chuong went to Ho Chi Minh City to start school, so he has to run around everywhere to find a job to earn some extra money, so he is rarely at home," Ms. Tam added.

Every day, Mrs. Tam works very hard to earn 70,000 - 80,000 VND for sewing clothes. But what worries her is that her health is getting worse, she is suffering from hyperthyroidism, fibroadenoma, and glaucoma.

A few days ago, she had to have cataract surgery, her eyesight has decreased significantly, which has greatly affected her tailoring job. As a result, the family's income has also decreased.

"On a lucky day, I can sew 2 sets of clothes and earn more than 100,000 VND in wages. And if someone asks my husband to work, he can earn an additional 250,000 VND/day. When Chuong was admitted to medical school, I was very worried and wanted him to stay in the countryside to study pedagogy to save money.

But thinking back, both my husband and I are not well-educated. Now that our child has been admitted to a prestigious medical school as valedictorian, we have to endure a little more hardship... We just hope that our child will be able to study properly so that his life will not be as miserable as his parents'," said Mrs. Tam.

Ms. Le Thi Duong Tam with certificates of merit for her son's academic and exam achievements - Photo: CHI HANH

Specialized school student, chooses nuclear medicine and radiotherapy to treat mother's thyroid

The student's eyes filled with tears when he mentioned his parents: "My parents work very hard to pay for my education." The family has 2 hectares of land to grow kumquats to cover some of the living expenses. After school, Chuong often worked hard to help his parents cut kumquats until the skin on his hands peeled off.

"The kumquats that my father planted with his own hands are like the hope and belief that my parents have for me. Knowing that studying is the shortest path to success, I always try my best to achieve the best results possible," said Chuong.

The day he held the university admission notice in his hand, Minh Chuong felt a mixture of joy and sadness, as well as worry about where he would get money for his studies. Because the tuition and admission fees were quite large, beyond his family's means.

Even if he broke the piggy bank to get the money he saved from his excellent student bonus and the scholarship during his 3 years of high school in a specialized school, it would still not be enough for half of the tuition he had to pay when enrolling.

But the university door finally opened with Minh Chuong announcing that Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy would be offering a full scholarship for the first year of study to the valedictorian.

Having been in school for nearly two months, Chuong said sitting in the lecture hall is like a dream, but he is still burdened with the worry of his studies being interrupted halfway.

"What worries me most is that my parents in the countryside will have to work harder to earn money to pay for my education. My mother often suffers from goiter, always has difficulty breathing and chest pain. Meanwhile, my father's health is not as good as before," said Chuong.

Also because of his parents' health concerns, the physics major student loved medicine. Since finding his favorite major, Chuong had to start from zero, both studying for the excellent student exam and studying for his dream of studying medicine...

"I majored in physics, so I wasn't confident in choosing medicine. While imaging technology has specialties such as radiotherapy and nuclear medicine to treat people with goiter and thyroid disease, I want to study this major to treat my mother in the future," Chuong shared.

New student Nguyen Le Minh Chuong (middle) in the lecture hall of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Photo: TRAN HUYNH

"I hope to support an excellent student to develop his/her talent"

Mr. Le Trung Nhan - Chuong's homeroom teacher for 3 years at Nguyen Binh Khiem High School for the Gifted (Vinh Long province) - said about his student: "In 10th grade, I read the class admission list and saw that Nguyen Le Minh Chuong was missing. I contacted his family and found out that Chuong's mother did not let him study at a specialized school because she was afraid that moving to the city would be far from home and would cost a lot of money. After the school persuaded her, Ms. Tam let her son study at a specialized school."

Teacher Nhan assessed Chuong as a very good student, especially in the natural sciences, despite his circumstances and learning conditions not being as good as his peers. "During the 3 years I was the homeroom teacher, Chuong was always a self-reliant, hard-working student and a member of the provincial excellent student team.

I also received many certificates and merits from the province and the Ministry of Education and Training (first, second, and third prizes for excellent students at the provincial level in physics, first prize for excellent students in solving math problems on handheld calculators at the provincial level, participating in the national student competition for the 2023-2024 school year...).

Hearing that my student was admitted as valedictorian of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, I was very happy. I hope everyone will support him so that he can continue to develop his talent, change his life and contribute to society," said Mr. Nhan.

Mr. Le Hong Hai - Secretary and Head of Thanh Thuy Hamlet, An Phuoc Commune, Mang Thit District, Vinh Long Province, where Chuong resides, said that his family is in difficult circumstances, and his parents are unable to work.

"Before, no one in the neighborhood paid attention to Chuong, but later when he studied at a specialized school and joined the provincial team of excellent students, the neighbors found out. Chuong's parents lived a very exemplary life. Due to health problems and work-related accidents, the family's income was very unstable. Several times when I went to collect taxes and fees every year, Chuong's mother confided in me her difficulties.

From a local perspective, I can only support my child with a loan from a policy bank to go to school. But for the medical industry, this amount of money is not enough. I also hope that people and organizations will help my child fulfill his dream. Because he loves to study.

Invite you to join the School Support Program

Tuoi Tre Newspaper's 2024 School Support Program launched on August 8, expected to award 1,100 scholarships with a total cost of more than 20 billion VND (15 million VND for new students with difficulties, 20 special scholarships worth 50 million VND/scholarship throughout 4 years of study and learning equipment, gifts...).

With the motto "No young person can go to school because of poverty", "If new students encounter difficulties, there is Tuoi Tre " - as a commitment to support new students in the past 20 years of Tuoi Tre .

The program received contributions and support from the "Accompanying Farmers" Fund - Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, Vinacam Education Promotion Fund - Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company and the "Nghia Tinh Quang Tri" and Phu Yen Clubs; "Supporting Students to School" Clubs of Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam - Da Nang, Tien Giang - Ben Tre and Tien Giang and Ben Tre Businessmen's Clubs in Ho Chi Minh City, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam Company, Mr. Duong Thai Son and friends with businesses and a large number of readers of Tuoi Tre newspaper...

In addition, Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company also sponsored 50 laptops for new students with special difficulties and lack of learning equipment worth about 600 million VND, Nestlé Vietnam Company Limited sponsored 1,500 backpacks worth about 250 million VND.

The Vietnam-USA Society English Language System sponsored 50 free foreign language scholarships worth 625 million VND. Through the State Bank, Bac A Commercial Joint Stock Bank sponsored 1,500 books on financial education, instructing financial management skills for new students...

Businesses and readers can support scholarships for new students by transferring to Tuoi Tre newspaper account:

113000006100 VietinBank, Branch 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

Content: Support "Support to school" for new students or specify the province/city that you want to support.

Readers and businesses abroad can transfer money to Tuoi Tre newspaper:

USD account 007.137.0195.845 Ho Chi Minh City Foreign Trade Bank;

EUR account 007.114.0373.054 Foreign Trade Bank, Ho Chi Minh City

with Swift code BFTVVNVX007.

Content: Support "Support to school" for new students or specify the province/city that you want to support.

In addition to sponsoring scholarships, readers can support learning equipment, accommodation, jobs... for new students.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thu-khoa-dh-y-duoc-tp-hcm-nhan-hoc-bong-toan-phan-van-lo-dut-ganh-uoc-mo-2024101519570662.htm