The night lights illuminated the way to class.
Busy with work in the fields all morning, in the evening, after dinner, Mrs. Y King (Kon Plong commune, Quang Ngai province) organizes her books and prepares to go to literacy class. From the villages, women who once knew how to read but have forgotten, or who have never had the chance to learn, gather to attend the school. The small village road is dimly lit by flashlights. Rain or shine, the villagers still try to be present to learn to read and write.
“In the past, I didn't get an education and couldn't read or write, so I felt ashamed whenever I had to sign documents. When I heard about literacy classes, I decided to attend. My family also encouraged me, telling me to try my best to learn to read and write. Because of my age, I learn slowly, but the teachers are dedicated to teaching me. Now, I can read and write, and I feel more confident when going to the commune office to do paperwork and procedures; I set an example for my children and grandchildren to strive for education,” shared Mrs. Y King.
Her story is also the shared sentiment of many students in the literacy class in Kon Plông. They are laborers who spend their lives working in the fields, more familiar with hoes and plows than with pens and notebooks. They work in the fields in the morning and study in the evening. The journey is not easy, but it is still filled with laughter.
What's particularly noteworthy is that many children, including the grandchildren of the students, also come to class with their grandparents and parents. Some are only in elementary school, sitting in a corner of the classroom diligently writing alongside the adults. Others help their grandmothers read lessons and guide them on pronunciation.
These lessons became a time for family bonding. Under the warm yellow light, the image of three generations sitting together, adults spelling out words, children softly repeating after them, became a beautiful scene amidst the vast Kon Plông mountains.
Ms. Tran Thi Bao, a teacher at Kon Plong Ethnic Boarding Primary School, who directly teaches literacy classes, recounted: “In the early days, learning to read and write was truly difficult for the people. Many had never held a pen before; their hands trembled, and they would get tired after writing just a few strokes. Some held pens like they were holding hoes. We had to hold each person's hand to guide them, teaching them each stroke and each letter.”
Sow the seeds of knowledge with love and perseverance.
According to literacy teachers, teaching older students requires far more perseverance and patience than teaching younger students. Teachers must always be dedicated, gentle, and encouraging so that learners do not feel inferior or self-conscious. Some students want to give up after learning only a few words because they fear they are falling behind, but with the right encouragement, they return to class.
As night falls, in the small classroom, the rhythmic chanting of spelling lessons echoes through the vast forest. Even on rainy days, when the roads are slippery, the villagers persevere in attending class. They sit huddled around the desks, intently watching each letter appear on the blackboard. Flashlights and small study lamps illuminate their sun-tanned faces as they diligently study to set an example for their children and grandchildren.
Mr. Vu Ngoc Thanh, Principal of Kon Plong Ethnic Boarding Primary School, said: “The school has opened four literacy classes with 102 students. Thanks to the efforts of the staff and teachers and the determination of the local people, the attendance rate always reaches 80-90% every day. We always strive to create the best conditions for the classes to run smoothly, from arranging classrooms and lighting to providing books and supplies for the students.”
Besides teaching literacy, the teachers also take the opportunity to teach life skills, health care, and child-rearing. Many lessons become cheerful and heartwarming thanks to the stories about farming that the students bring to the class.
The night classes in Kon Plông have brought about many changes. From being illiterate, the people can now read signs, write their names, and fill out information themselves when completing administrative procedures. They also know how to keep records, do calculations, and apply this knowledge to small-scale production and trading to improve their lives.
“Now I don’t worry about mixing up the bills when I go to the market, and I can even sign my own name on documents. I’ve even taught my children and grandchildren the letters I’ve learned. Knowing how to read and write makes life seem brighter,” Mrs. Y King said with a gentle smile.
Thanks to the perseverance of the learners and the dedication of the teachers, literacy classes in the mountainous Kon Plông region have not only focused on teaching people to read and write, but have also ignited in the hearts of the people a lifelong desire for learning. Literacy has truly become a bridge connecting knowledge and life, dreams and reality.
On those nights in the highlands, the small classroom under the tin roof remained brightly lit. The sound of spelling out words echoed through the silent mountain air, like the sound of hope, of a journey to find the light of knowledge in the vast wilderness.
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/giu-lua-con-chu-giua-dai-ngan-kon-plong-post751922.html
Comment (0)