Ho Chi Minh City welcomes 231 new students back to school: 'Even after receiving the news, I still can't believe it's true'

The scholarship award ceremony of the “Tiep suc den truong” program on November 17 awarded 231 scholarships to new students with difficult circumstances. Of these, 128 were new students from 7 provinces and cities in the Southeast region and 103 were for new students who were considered for scholarships in other provinces and cities studying in Ho Chi Minh City but did not have the opportunity to attend the program in their hometown.

Just entered university and already working too much, hearing about the scholarship 'wondered if someone was cheating me'

Tiếp sức đến trường cho 231 tân sinh viên 7 tỉnh thành Đông Nam Bộ - Ảnh 1. — Nguyen Duong Quach Tuan, a new student at the University of Information Technology, Ho Chi Minh City National University, happily called his mother before receiving his scholarship. Tuan's mother is a worker in Quang Ngai. Tuan's mother has to shoulder the burden of raising two brothers to study - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

Nguyen Duong Quach Tuan – a freshman at the University of Information Technology, Ho Chi Minh City National University – took the bus at noon from Thu Duc City to Binh Thanh District, where the scholarship award ceremony took place, very early. Tuan stood on the stage, sweating profusely from having to walk a long distance.

Even when he saw his name on the list of scholarship recipients this time, Tuan said he was still very surprised and could not believe it. “I was told over the phone that I had passed and would receive the scholarship on November 17, which was a huge surprise. I thought I had been tricked. For me and my mother, this scholarship is extremely valuable and can help us do a lot of things,” Tuan said.

Tuan said he has no father, his mother is a garment worker in Quang Ngai. The small salary is the source of income for his mother and three children (after Tuan, he has a younger sister in 8th grade). Growing up in hardship, Tuan matured very early.

The first time Tuan came to Ho Chi Minh City was to enroll in school, he went alone. Tuan knew he would have to work a lot so he took the initiative to rent a room. Living with four other students in a rented room, cooking for himself or eating free school meals (lunch) helped Tuan save the most on expenses.

“I just got a part-time job editing videos for a company and get paid about 2 million VND/month. I save that money to pay for accommodation and food. It’s hard to have any left over, but if possible, I will save it to pay for tuition,” Tuan said.

A new student from Cu Chi went to Van Thanh to receive a scholarship but was afraid of getting lost, so a kind neighbor escorted his mother, children, aunt, and niece for free...

- Ảnh 2. — Ngo Thi Kieu Vy (standing in the middle), a new student at Saigon University, and her family came to receive the scholarship - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

One of the earliest students to receive the scholarship was new student Ngo Thi Kieu Vy from Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City, a new student at Saigon University.

Vy lost her father during the days preparing for her 12th grade graduation exam. The burden of making a living fell on her hard-working mother, a worker for a shoe company.

“My mother’s salary supports the whole family, I feel so sorry for her. When I get a scholarship, I will save it to pay for tuition, to help my mother ease some of her worries,” Vy confided.

Vy’s mother took her to receive the scholarship, and her aunt and two cousins went with her. A driver near her house offered to take her for free. “I saw that the mother and daughter were in difficult circumstances, and Vy was trying hard to get into university, so I helped take the mother and daughter to receive the scholarship and encouraged her that no matter how difficult it was, everyone would be there for her,” said Trong.

Known as a native of Ho Chi Minh City, Ngo Thi Kieu Vy (a 12th grader at An Nhon Tay High School, Cu Chi District) rarely gets to go to the city center. Now she knows all the bus routes to get from her accommodation in Binh Chanh District to school and return to Cu Chi District on weekends to visit her family.

Ms. Tong Thi Thanh Tuyen, Ngo Thi Kieu Vy's 12th grade homeroom teacher, said over the phone that Vy's academic results in the 12th grade were 9.0, excellent student and good conduct. Despite the family's unfortunate circumstances, her father passed away right in the last days of the 12th grade, she tried to overcome them to continue studying and achieve good results to enter Saigon University.

231 scholarships for new students in difficulty

A total of 128 scholarships from 7 provinces and cities in the Southeast region worth more than 2 billion VND (including 124 scholarships worth 15 million VND each for new students and 4 special scholarships worth 50 million VND throughout 4 years of study for new students with especially difficult circumstances).

The funding for new students in 7 provinces in the Southeast region is sponsored by the German-Vietnamese Mutual Aid and Cooperation Association, Professor Phan Luong Cam - wife of the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, Mr. Duong Thai Son and friends, Vinacam Education Promotion Fund - Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company, "Accompanying Farmers" Fund - Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, Dai-ichi Life Vietnam Company, Ho Chi Minh City Union of Commercial Cooperatives (Saigon Co.op), Hoang Kim Joint Stock Company, Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, University of Economics - Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University), University of Finance - Marketing, Saigon University, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, University of Information Technology (Ho Chi Minh City National University) and readers of Tuoi Tre newspaper.

In addition, Nestlé Vietnam Co., Ltd. sponsored backpacks for new students, Vinacam Scholarship Fund - Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company sponsored 13 laptops for new students with special difficulties lacking learning equipment. The Vietnam-USA Society English System supported 20 free IELTS test preparation sessions for new students studying in Ho Chi Minh City.

This is the 12th and final scholarship awarding point in the 2024 "Supporting students to school" scholarship program for new students under the 601st "For tomorrow's development" program of Tuoi Tre newspaper. In 2024, the program awarded 1,334 new students in difficult circumstances in 63 provinces and cities nationwide with a total budget of more than 21 billion VND (15 million VND/1 scholarship and 20 special scholarships of 50 million VND/4 school years).

In addition to 128 new students with difficult circumstances from 7 provinces and cities in the Southeast region, the Tuoi Tre newspaper's "Support to School" program for new students is also organized in the following regions: Central, Central Highlands, 11 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta, provinces and cities in the North, Northwest and North Central.

* Tuoi Tre Online is updating

The 2024 School Support Program is contributed and supported by the "Accompanying Farmers" Fund - Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, Vinacam Education Promotion Fund - Vinacam Group Joint Stock Company and the "Quang Tri Affection" Club, Phu Yen; "School Support" Club of Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam - Da Nang, Tien Giang - Ben Tre and Tien Giang, Ben Tre Business Club 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 Co., Ltd. sponsored 1,500 backpacks worth about 250 million VND. The Vietnam-USA Association English Language System sponsored 50 free foreign language scholarships worth 625 million VND. Bac A Commercial Joint Stock Bank sponsored 1,500 books on financial education, instructing financial management skills for new students...