Sowing the light of knowledge in the night

Night Class for Special Children

For nearly 30 years, Phuoc Thang Secondary School in Phuoc Thang Ward has kept its lights on every night to maintain night classes for children who cannot afford to go to school.

After the daytime teaching time at school, from 6:30 pm, teachers of Phuoc Thang Secondary School continue to teach general education classes. It is a special class, because the students are of different ages. During the day, many of them work to support their families. Their study time is limited to 5 periods in the evening class.

Mr. Tran Manh Hung, Vice Principal of Phuoc Thang Secondary School, teaches a popularization class at the school.

At 6:00 p.m., entering the school grounds, asking about the night general education class, a young teacher in a red ao dai warmly welcomed her. She introduced herself as Bui Thi Phuong Nhung (22 years old) - a Natural Science teacher at Phuoc Thang Secondary School. Ms. Nhung said that she had just graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, she became a teacher at the school, and was also assigned to teach the night general education class. Her house is in Long Hai commune, 30km from the school, so after teaching the evening class, there were nights when she did not return home until 10:30 p.m.

Sharing about the motivation to overcome this obstacle, Ms. Nhung said that it was her love for the job that helped her overcome her own difficulties to accompany the children.

Young teacher Bui Thi Phuong Nhung teaches Natural Science in the night class of Phuoc Thang Secondary School.

The young teacher shared that most of the children are temporary residents who have dropped out of school. Each child has their own circumstances but they all try their best to go to school. The teachers here are patient and gentle, trying to find easy-to-understand ways to teach so that the children can easily absorb and create interest in learning.

Before class, Nguyen Thi Chuc Doan (14 years old, temporarily residing in Phuoc Thang ward, Ho Chi Minh City), the only female student in the 7th grade general education program here, confided: “Two years ago, I dropped out of regular classes at Phuoc Thang Secondary School when I was almost finished with the 7th grade. After dropping out, I worked as a lottery ticket seller at an agency and also studied nail care. However, I still wanted to finish the program to take the entrance exam for the logistics major, so I was determined to attend this evening general education class.”

Tran Bao Duy (15 years old, temporarily residing in Phuoc Thang ward, Ho Chi Minh City) said that his parents are workers so his family's circumstances are difficult. "During the day, I sell coffee at a coffee shop to help my parents cover expenses, and at night I go to school with the hope of going to a vocational school..." - Duy confided.

Similarly, the night popularization class at Chau Thanh Secondary School (Vung Tau Ward) was opened from the 2003-2024 school year, on weekday evenings from Monday to Saturday, to help immigrant children in Vung Tau Ward have the conditions to go to school.

Towards a bright future

The above mentioned night classes also nurture the dreams of immigrant students or students from difficult circumstances.

Nguyen Thi My Tien (16 years old, temporarily residing in alley 878, 30/4 street, Phuoc Thang ward) said that her parents divorced, she had to leave school because she followed her mother from Dong Thap province to rent a room here to make a living. "After being persuaded by the government and teachers to go to school to complete the program, I went to class with the hope of going to a vocational school, which would help me have a brighter future" - Tien confided.

Nighttime general education class at Chau Thanh Secondary School, Vung Tau ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen Chau Khang (15 years old) said that his parents were workers in the Dong Xuyen industrial park. The difficult life forced him to drop out of school in the 8th grade. After nearly a year off school, he asked to go back to school at the general education class of Phuoc Thang Secondary School.

“In class, the teachers care and sympathize with the situation of students like me. Initially, I only planned to finish grade 9 and then look for a job. But after hearing me share, the teachers encouraged me to try to continue studying, at least to finish grade 12 to apply to vocational school” - Chau Khang shared.

Nguyen Quoc Bao, Chau Thanh Secondary School, shared that his purpose of coming to class is to complete the general education program to move on to higher levels of education.

Despite the meager allowances and even the lack of salary for the administrators, the teachers still stay in class, spreading the light of knowledge to these students with special circumstances.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Tran Manh Hung, Vice Principal of Phuoc Thang Secondary School, said that the nighttime general education class of Phuoc Thang Secondary School has been maintained for more than 30 years by many generations of teachers who love their profession and care for children who are less fortunate than their peers. The class is for children who do not have the conditions to attend regular classes or have dropped out of school.

According to teacher Tran Manh Hung, in addition to staying with students in class, the school actively encourages students to attend class regularly to gain knowledge, connects with benefactors to support students with school supplies, books, and encourages them to study with peace of mind.

"There are still many immigrant children in the area, so their studies are interrupted or they do not have the conditions to go to school. Therefore, teachers in the school often come to encourage them to go to class. Currently, the school maintains 50 students in 3 junior high school grades to attend class regularly. Although the allowance is small, and the management staff do not even have a salary, the teachers still stay in class, spreading the light of knowledge to students with special circumstances" - Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Dong - Principal of Chau Thanh Junior High School shared.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/sow-anh-sang-tri-thuc-trong-dem-post1797959.tpo