Southwestern Pedagogical College traditional meeting

Although there was no fixed place for teaching and learning, the Southwest Pedagogical School trained hundreds of cadres, teachers, and soldiers before 1975.

On March 7, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Liaison Committee of the Southwest Pedagogical School held a traditional meeting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).

At the meeting, People's Teacher, Dr. Dang Huynh Mai, former Deputy Minister of Education and Training (MOET), Head of the Liaison Committee of the Southwest Pedagogical School, said: “If we count from the first training course until now, it has been 64 years, the memories of that pedagogical school are still intact in the minds and feelings of each teacher, as well as our students. Everyone considers the Southwest Pedagogical School as “An indelible mark”; “A turning point in the life of the Revolution, “The most beautiful luggage of life”, “The seed of spring”…”.

It is known that the Southwest Pedagogical School from its inception to the completion of its historical mission only existed for 14 years (1961-1975). Although it was only a short period of time in history, the school opened 14 training courses for educational staff and teachers with more than 600 provincial and district educational staff and hundreds of primary school teachers, along with about 150 secondary school teachers. This force actively contributed to the victory of the resistance war. In particular, the Southwest Pedagogical School did not have a fixed place to teach and study, but had to frequently move its base to deal with enemy artillery, aircraft, etc. Sometimes it lived among the people in the liberated areas of the Southwest, sometimes deep in the forests of these localities.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, was moved to say that only the term “soldier teacher” accurately describes the teaching and learning process of teachers and students of the Southwest Region Pedagogical School during the 14-year journey of hardship and sacrifice on the Southwest battlefield during that period. Many times, teachers and students became real soldiers when just a few minutes ago, the teacher was standing on the podium, the students were seriously listening to the teacher’s lecture, but a few minutes later, they had to firmly hold their guns and fight steadfastly in the enemy’s sweeps.

Also according to Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, looking back at the 50-year journey of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, the lessons learned in building "human beings" in the struggle on the educational and cultural front during the resistance war against the US still have their full value, continuing to be the foundation for the whole country in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular to continue to inherit, continue and promote in the current practice of "growing people".

With joint efforts over the past 50 years, the entire political system of Ho Chi Minh City has promoted patriotism, joined hands to overcome all difficulties and challenges, taken the lead in innovation, been dynamic, creative, daring to think, daring to do, and strived to achieve many important achievements.