Since 2022, six new classrooms have been built with support from the Winter Warmth for Children in the Highlands project at three locations of Phin Ho Kindergarten, helping to eliminate the situation of temporary learning. Since then, the school, which still has many difficulties with all 76 students being H'Mong children, has gradually achieved a 100% attendance rate of children aged 3-5 years old, with an attendance rate of over 90%... - which was an impossible task for a long time ago.
The joy of going to a new class
From early morning, Mr. Ha A Thanh and his wife, Ms. Vu Thi Mai (living in Pa Phang 2 village) were busy preparing to take their two children, aged 4 and 6, to the school to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new classroom. The two children had never attended a ceremony where they directly participated in a performance, dressed in traditional costumes of their ethnic group. It was also the first time that both the father and mother took a break from the fields, took their children and eagerly stayed until the end to watch. "I heard the teacher say that the new classroom had been built and would practice after school for the children to perform at the inauguration ceremony. I prepared my phone to record it as a souvenir," Ms. Mai shared.
The small schoolyard of Pa Phang 2 school has never been so crowded because of the presence of many parents, who have always been hesitant to send their children to school. The small children, with their chubby faces, excitedly holding colorful gift bags in their hands, obediently sitting neatly on each chair in the two new classrooms of over 90 square meters, attracted the attention of many volunteers of the Warm Winter for Children in the Highlands project from many places across the country.
Dr. Le Dai Duong, head of the project, said: “Over the past 10 years, the project has supported the construction of dozens of classrooms at 19 schools, all in mountainous provinces such as Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Lang Son, Bac Kan, Lai Chau, as well as donatededucational equipment to support teaching and learning, organized gift-giving programs, Mid-Autumn Festival, International Children's Day... Our wish is to contribute to helping children go to school safely and access literacy as soon as possible.”
The first time the project funded the construction of classrooms at remote schools in remote areas was in 2015. At that time, Mr. Duong and the initial members had difficulty mobilizing funding for the initial phase, as well as having to continuously test construction technology and choose materials suitable for the harsh climate of the northern mountainous region. Over the years, experience has been gained and the project has been able to complete the school sites with stable prices as well as fast construction time, ensuring quality. In 2022 and 2023, four classrooms at two Ta Tau schools (Ta Ghenh village) and the center will be supported by the project to build prefabricated houses with the advantages of fast construction time, durability and proven resistance to local weather.
In 2025, the next two classrooms will continue to apply this construction method in Pa Phang 2 with full educational facilities, on schedule and ensuring quality. Ms. Ha Thi Thieu, Principal of Phin Ho Kindergarten shared: “Our school has six satellite schools, all located in difficult locations. Previously, most teachers and students had to study temporarily. With the support of philanthropists and the efforts of the education sector to improve policies for difficult areas, the learning conditions of the children are improving day by day.”
Helping children in mountainous areas go to school
The support of charitable organizations and kind-hearted people has breathed new life into the difficult educational journey in Phin Ho. Classes, Mid-Autumn Festival, International Children's Day... filled with laughter have motivated students and children not to drop out of school. They are eager and looking forward to going to class with their friends. Mr. Bui Dinh Duong, a volunteer of the Warm Winter for Children in the Highlands project, said: "During many trips to build schools, I and other members cannot forget the children shivering from the cold but still going to school. We tell ourselves that we must do something to make it less difficult and less difficult for them to go to school and pursue their studies to the end."
From relief trips to fundraisers to build schools, all efforts are aimed at joining hands to contribute to creating a better learning environment. However, the change lies not only in new walls or spacious desks and chairs, but also in the awareness of the local people about the value of knowledge. Ethnic minority parents, despite difficulties, have begun to understand that the road to school is not just steps on the mountain slope, but also a journey to open up the future for their children. Mr. Ha A Vinh, Head of Pa Phang 2 village, said: "People are still poor, working hard but still do not have a high income because they mainly grow corn, cassava... However, the fact that many people proactively send their children to school to learn to read and write early is truly a big change in the countless difficulties of life".
In the 2024-2025 school year, Phin Ho Kindergarten mobilized parents to support 450 working days to build a playground, renovate the environment for children to play and experience, as well as support rice, expenses... to cook at the central school, which is considered a great spiritual support for the efforts of the teachers. Ms. Vu Thi Trang, from Nam Dinh, after graduating, went to Lai Chau with her husband, also a teacher, and decided to stay and work in the education sector for the past 20 years. "It was fate at first and started the profession in very difficult circumstances. But it must be admitted that after a lot of effort, the rate of children going to school in remote areas like Phin Ho with positive results like today is a remarkable achievement and not easy to achieve," Ms. Trang shared.
Over the years, despite difficult conditions, the teachers here have always been ready to prepare children for first grade by taking them on tours of primary schools and experiencing extracurricular activities... Teachers at Phin Ho Kindergarten actively participate in online courses to update digital skills related to pedagogical and management skills... Principal Ha Thi Thieu said: "Although the school's website is only assigned to one teacher, the school still strives to provide professional information, teaching and learning activities online to innovate communication and propaganda methods. This is also an opportunity for the school to connect with benefactors and many other sources to support overcoming difficulties in facilities and improving teaching and learning conditions."
Dr. Le Dai Duong emphasized: “The path of learning is the shortest path to success. Therefore, in the coming time, our project will build a long-term scholarship fund for high school students with excellent achievements but difficult circumstances, to continue to pursue their dream of studying to the end, building a sustainable future. They themselves will later be an important human resource to develop the country.”
Source: https://nhandan.vn/chap-canh-uoc-mo-phin-ho-post883774.html
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