Together through this special school year

Unable to continue studying in danger, teachers and students were forced to move immediately. The first day of school should have been the happiest time, but instead it was filled with anxiety and confusion. In the midst of that difficult time, another school gate opened to welcome Nam Luc students to study together, that was Bao Nhai Secondary School.

On September 23, volunteer vehicles helped teachers and students of Nam Luc Ethnic Boarding Secondary School travel more than 15 km to reach their new school. The children were away from their village for the first time, away from the loving arms of their families, holding blankets, clothes, school bags and other belongings. Their eyes were unfamiliar, their steps were timid in the middle of the strange schoolyard.

On the first day of welcoming nearly 300 teachers and students from the Nam Luc flood area, teacher Nguyen Xuan Tuan, Principal of Bao Nhai Secondary School, had many concerns. The school was only able to serve more than 500 local students, now having to shoulder the burden of another school would add to the pressure.

The most difficult thing that teacher Nguyen Xuan Tuan shared was arranging the boarding house for students of Nam Luc Ethnic Boarding Secondary School. The facilities were designed to accommodate less than 100 boarding students in Bao Nhai commune, now they have to arrange for nearly 400 students. No one complained, only urgency and consensus. Before welcoming students from Nam Luc, the Board of Directors of the two schools met together to discuss and rearrange the facilities, taking advantage of the multi-purpose gymnasium and renovated old buildings to make the boarding house. In the late afternoons, teachers put down their chalk and blackboards, arrange their housework, stay at school, roll up their sleeves and work as construction workers to renovate the boarding house. In just one week, the dining room, bathroom, toilet and boarding house systems were hastily completed, ensuring the minimum conditions.

Not only did they arrange accommodation and meals early, both schools also "made every effort" to ensure that learning was not interrupted. All facilities were fully utilized for learning. Every square meter of land, every classroom, and office building... had to be calculated and fully utilized to make classrooms and practice areas. With the spirit of "All for beloved students", teacher Mai Thanh Hai, Principal of Nam Luc Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, together with the Board of Directors and the school's teaching staff, only used 2 office rooms to work together to save maximum space, and the rest was reserved for classrooms. Teacher Hai confided: "The school has an office building for teachers, but many teachers have volunteered to rent houses outside, giving up the office building to arrange more classrooms and practice rooms for students to study."

Despite being “guests”, students of Nam Luc Ethnic Boarding Secondary School have never felt like outsiders. From the very first day, they were welcomed with warm and loving affection by teachers and students of Bao Nhai Secondary School. Dang Huong Linh, class 8A, still remembers her first day at the new school. Linh shared: “I was very scared, new school, new friends, even though the teachers cared a lot.”

Understanding their concerns, teachers from both schools do not hesitate to take care of the children day and night like their own children, helping them stabilize their psychology, overcome difficulties and deprivation, and accompany them during night study and review sessions.

Overcoming her confusion, Dang Huong Linh helped her friends from Bao Nhai commune understand more about the traditional culture of the Dao ethnic group through singing and dancing. Linh and her friends from Nam Luc gradually no longer felt like strangers, because here there was only love.

Entering the new school year later than usual and facing many difficulties and challenges, the two schools met to discuss and build a school year plan, helping the two management systems operate in parallel, building a reasonable time frame to use equipment, facilities and human resources. Bao Nhai Secondary School lacks Literature and History teachers, and teachers from Nam Luc Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities are in class to support. On the contrary, Nam Luc Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities lacks Music teachers, Bao Nhai Secondary School is ready to share. In the middle of the school yard during break time, the drums sound, students from the two schools exercise together, sing and dance folk songs and dances with cheerful laughter.

Amidst numerous difficulties and shortages, both schools are gradually reaching the final destination of the school year. Although the results have not been summarized yet, many outstanding achievements have been made. Teacher Nguyen Xuan Tuan, Principal of Bao Nhai Secondary School, is proud that the keyeducation has made a breakthrough, the school's students won more than 30 prizes from excellent student competitions at the district and provincial levels. This year in particular, Bao Nhai Secondary School has 1 student winning the first prize in Mathematics at the provincial excellent student competition. As for Nam Luc Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, teacher Mai Thanh Hai, Principal of the school, happily said: The school has 2 students winning the second prize and the encouragement prize in the provincial excellent student competition and the third prize in the Lao Cai province's Youth and Children's Creativity Competition.

Summer is knocking on the door, Nam Luc Ethnic Boarding Secondary School is gradually completing the work of overcoming the natural disaster, students will be able to return to their familiar school. But for teachers and students of Nam Luc Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, the special days at Bao Nhai Secondary School, about the common school, about the relationship between teachers and students, and friends in difficult times will remain forever.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/cung-nhau-buoc-qua-nam-hoc-dac-biet-post402101.html