As usual, from Monday to Saturday at 7 PM, the literacy classes for the villagers of Cat and Pa Hoc hamlets in Nhi Son commune ( Thanh Hoa province) light up. In the quiet night, the sounds of spelling and reading echo. Hands accustomed to holding hoes and knives for farming now begin simple calculations, and awkwardly practice writing their first clumsy letters. The teachers are young volunteer cadres, staff, and intellectuals from Production Team No. 4, Economic-Defense Group 5.

These non-professional teachers still diligently teach literacy to the local people every night.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duy Trung, Deputy Political Commissar of the 5th Economic-Defense Brigade, said: “The trainees are all H'Mong ethnic people, aged from 20 to 50. Initially, when they first joined the class, the mothers and sisters were very hesitant because most of them didn't know the common Vietnamese language and thought that because they were older and the breadwinners of their families, they didn't need to go to school anymore. But after we encouraged them and explained the benefits of literacy, they diligently attended classes regularly.”

To ensure the classes are fully maintained, the staff and young volunteer intellectuals of Production Team No. 4 have worked hard in disseminating information and mobilizing the people. Every day, alongside their duties of helping the people develop their economy and alleviate poverty, the staff and young volunteer intellectuals go to each household and even to the fields to spread awareness about the importance of literacy. During the teaching process, the staff of Production Team No. 4 have compiled lesson plans that closely reflect the daily lives of the people. To date, after nearly a month of classes, the students can now listen, speak, read, and write standard Vietnamese, and perform some simple addition and subtraction calculations. Knowing how to read and write has made the women happier; many have even encouraged their husbands and family members to join the classes, thus increasing the number of students.

Young intellectuals volunteer wholeheartedly to help local people learn to write each letter correctly.

Young intellectual volunteer Ho Van Tong shared: "To achieve the best results in teaching and literacy eradication, we regularly stay in the villages and encourage people to participate in learning. At the same time, we actively research the customs and traditions of the ethnic minorities to integrate them into the teaching process. In particular, we focus on incorporating practical activities and images of the ethnic minorities into the teaching process, such as planting corn and rice, raising livestock and poultry..."

Carefully writing each letter in her lined notebook, Ms. Ho Thi Mo from Cat village shared: “In the past, because I didn't go to school and didn't know how to read or write, everything was difficult for me. Since the Party and State implemented the policy of opening literacy classes, with soldiers teaching, I can now read, write, and do calculations. I am very grateful to the Party, the State, and the teachers, including the cadres, staff, and young intellectual volunteers of Production Team No. 4.”

Like many other women in the village, when she learned about the literacy class program, Ms. Phàng Thị Dợ from Pá Hốc village eagerly registered to participate. “Things were different in the past, but nowadays, not knowing how to read and write is a huge disadvantage. When you go to the market, you don't know how to calculate the price of vegetables or sell a chicken. Therefore, when we heard about the literacy class, the women in our village immediately registered to learn. Especially since the class is held in the village, it's convenient for us to participate,” Ms. Dợ said.

Combine technical guidance on livestock farming and production with literacy education for the people.

To bring literacy to the people, soldiers and young volunteer intellectuals of the 5th Economic-Defense Brigade had to cross streams and navigate winding roads from their unit to the villages. Driven by their compassion for the people, from 2021 to 2026, the 5th Economic-Defense Brigade collaborated with local authorities to open 19 literacy classes, eradicating illiteracy for 630 people in the border region of Thanh Hoa province. These classes have contributed to eradicating illiteracy and helped people apply the knowledge they learned to poverty reduction and building a better life.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/giup-nhan-dan-xoa-mu-chu-de-xoa-ngheo-1041117