Teachers cross mountains to bring students back to school after floods

Teachers at Kim Dong Primary School help students return to school after the flood.

The roads to the schools are still muddy and slippery in many places, but the footsteps of teachers and students are bustling, bringing with them the warmth of the new school year.

Over the mountain, call students to class

Kim Dong Primary School, in Nam Tra My commune, has 5 campuses, 23 classes with 645 students, most of whom are children of the Ca Dong and Xo Dang ethnic groups.

After heavy rain from October 22, the whole school had to temporarily close to ensure safety.

Teacher Nguyen Van Phuc, Vice Principal of the school, said that during the heavy rains, many roads were paralyzed, water flowed rapidly, and landslides occurred in many places. Fortunately, the school did not suffer any damage to its facilities.

During the rainy and flood days, most teachers stayed at school to take care of the dormitories and clean the classrooms. When the weather cleared, teachers proactively joined local authorities and parents to go to each village and rooftop to encourage students to return to class.

“There are students who live 17km away from school. The road is muddy and motorbikes cannot go. Teachers have to walk, and sometimes wade through streams. But when they see the eager eyes of their students, all the hardships seem to disappear,” said Mr. Phuc.

One of the pioneers in the campaign to encourage students to return to school is Mr. Nguyen Chinh, the teacher in charge of the Youth Union.

Teacher Chinh said that at first, many children were still hesitant because the road was long, and their parents were not comfortable because they were afraid of traveling unsafely.

"I had to call the village party secretary and the village chief to send young people to dig the ground and clean up the traffic route to help the children have a way. After that, we informed the parents that the school was chosen by the commune People's Committee as an evacuation area, so it was safe, with enough food and accommodation for the children. Only when they heard that did they feel secure," said Mr. Chinh.

The road from the commune center to Tak Lu school is about 17km long and very steep. In those days, teachers were not only teachers but also “travel companions” of students in the highlands.

Education sector accompanies disadvantaged areas

Head of the Primary Education Department, Department of Education and Training of Da Nang city, Vo Van Khanh, said that although it is a remote area, the sense of responsibility of the teachers of Kim Dong Primary School is very admirable.

After the flood, the school proactively reviewed the situation, stabilized facilities and implemented a reasonable make-up teaching plan.

The fact that teachers personally go to the village to encourage students to come to class shows the sense of responsibility and dedication of those who teach in the highlands.

According to Mr. Khanh, this school year, the education sector pays special attention to school safety and stabilizing students' psychology after natural disasters.

“The education sector is continuing to mobilize resources to support school supplies, warm clothes, and books for Nam Tra My students, helping them study with peace of mind,” said Mr. Khanh.

In the middle of the red dirt yard that had just been cleaned by the teachers, Ho Nguyen My Uyen, a student of class 4/4, timidly said: “It rained heavily these past few days, my house is on the mountain, so a lot of water flooded down. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to go to school anymore. Then the teacher came into my house and said that the school was safe, and he picked me up. Now I can go back to school and eat and live at school, I’m very happy.”

Uyen said that during her days at boarding school, teachers taught her and her friends how to keep clean, fold blankets neatly, and also organized games, told stories, etc. In the evening, they also reviewed their knowledge.

To date, 600/645 students of Kim Dong Primary School have returned to normal study. The schools have been cleaned up, and areas with minor landslides have been temporarily repaired to ensure safety.

The school has adjusted the teaching plan so as not to affect the school year program, especially since there will be a lot of rain in the near future.

“After many unforgettable nights of rain and floods, the most precious thing now is that all the students are present in class. The teachers are taking advantage of the situation to contact the village chief to persuade the students to come to class, and to calculate how to help the students quickly grasp the knowledge,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc.

On the way from the school to the commune center, the figures of Kim Dong School teachers are small in the mountains and forests, but on that journey, they are doing great things, a beautiful testament to their love for the profession, their devotion and their silent sacrifice when November comes again.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/giao-vien-vuot-nui-dua-tro-tro-lai-truong-sau-mua-lu-3309304.html