Staying close to the villages to... "spread literacy"

A new school year also marks the beginning of a journey for teachers accompanying students from ethnic minority communities on their quest for literacy.

In the villages of ethnic minority communities, many families are living in extremely difficult circumstances, making education for children incredibly challenging. Knowing this, teachers have been working tirelessly every day to teach literacy and life skills to these children.

This is the journey of Ms. Hoang Thuy Da Thao, a 5th-grade teacher at the Dham hamlet branch school (Ea Bong Primary School, Ea Na commune). Nearly 30 years in the teaching profession, including 20 years dedicated to the students of Ea Bong Primary School. Ms. Thao recalls: “I started teaching in 1996, and in 2005 I was assigned to teach at Ea Bong Primary School. At that time, the distance from my house to the school was less than 10 km, but the journey was very difficult; it was muddy in the rainy season and dusty in the dry season. Especially, teaching at the Ko hamlet branch school required crossing a small stream, so every day I had to bring a pair of boots, a change of clothes, and my schoolbag had to be wrapped in a plastic bag so that if I slipped and fell, I would have something to change into and my lesson plans wouldn't be ruined...”

Ms. Hoang Thuy Da Thao during a class session.

The difficulties didn't stop there. For the ethnic minority students here, their parents were too busy working to pay attention to their children's studies or even their personal lives. Therefore, in addition to teaching literacy, Ms. Thao also taught them personal hygiene every day, from brushing teeth, washing hair, and bathing... to physiological issues during puberty, because at that time many of them were already 14 or 15 years old but were still in the 4th or 5th grade.

"In recent years, people's lives have become less difficult, roads have been paved with clean concrete, schools are more spacious, and parents are paying more attention to their children's education. Thanks to this, the journey of sowing the seeds of knowledge for teachers has become somewhat less arduous..." - Vice Principal of Ea Bông Primary School .

Despite the difficulties, hardships, and the lack of adequate teaching and learning facilities, Ms. Thao persevered in staying at the school and with her students, hoping they would have a brighter future.

For Ms. H La Chi Ênuôl, a third-grade teacher at Ea Bông Primary School (Knul village), in her 17 years of dedication to the students here, every new school year, after taking over her class, she spends a day off visiting each student's family. Even though the homes are nearly 20 km from the school, if she doesn't meet the parents on her first visit, she continues searching until she finds them. Thanks to these home visits, Ms. H La Chi understands the real circumstances of each student, allowing her to provide timely and appropriate support to encourage them to attend school.

For students at risk of dropping out, bringing them back to school is difficult enough, but keeping them engaged in learning is even harder. To achieve this, the teachers here have continuously innovated and created new teaching methods. They understand that dry, theoretical lectures will never appeal to children accustomed to farming and the mountains.

Ms. H La Chi Ênuôl kindly instructs the students.

Like Ms. H. La Chi, to create enthusiasm among students, she chooses to convey knowledge through visual activities, games, and by preparing small gifts such as stickers, cute pens, and keychains for students who answer correctly. For students with weaker academic abilities, in addition to close supervision, she frequently encourages them, asks questions within their capabilities so they can answer in front of the class, and praises them to help them become more confident. As a result, the students no longer feel pressured to come to school, but instead are always eager to see the new things she brings.

Beyond simply staying close to their schools and students, Ms. Thao and Ms. H. La Chi also act as a bridge connecting kind-hearted people to the children. They have mobilized donations of old books, used clothes, new school bags, bicycles, gifts, scholarships, and more. These small gifts not only help the children overcome material difficulties but also provide immense emotional support.

Thuy Hong

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/giao-duc/202509/bam-buon-lang-de-gieo-chu-1e6183d/