The journey of "retaining students" in Nam Cha

The majority of students at Nậm Cha Ethnic Boarding Junior High School are children from remote villages and must live in the school's dormitory.

Some students were watering the vegetables, others were feeding the fish, and a few were busy preparing dinner. Few would imagine that this place was once a place where teachers had to search high and low in the mountains to encourage students to attend class.

Nậm Cha Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, located in the former Nậm Cha commune (now Nậm Tăm commune), is situated in Zone III – a particularly disadvantaged area of the province. The school's location is home to seven ethnic groups: Dao, H'Mông, Thái, Lự, Giáy, Mường, and Kinh; the majority being H'Mông and Dao people scattered around the Đà River reservoir area.

The area is vast, transportation is difficult, and many villages are tens of kilometers away from the school. In the past, due to economic difficulties and limited travel conditions, the education of children here was neglected for a period, depending on the farming season.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Luan, the Vice Principal in charge of boarding school activities, still vividly remembers his early days working in the highlands: “Back then, the classroom was under the stilt houses of the Thai ethnic minority; teachers and students had to row boats across streams to get to school; during the rainy season, the road to school became even more difficult. During lean times, whenever the harvest season arrived, students would stay home from school to go to the fields with their families; there were days when almost no students were in the classroom. The teachers had to go to the villages to help the people harvest rice and pick corn; only after helping the villagers finish the harvest could they persuade the families to let their children return to school.”

A turning point for education in Nam Cha came with the implementation of the boarding school model. Students benefit from a boarding system; after each school day, instead of traveling long distances home, they can stay, rest, and study right at the school, only returning home on weekends.

At lunchtime after school bell rings, all student activities are orderly and self-disciplined. Each student has a task: personal hygiene, assisting the kitchen staff with arranging dishes and distributing food, etc. The meal, though simple, is nutritious, containing green vegetables, meat, eggs, and more; some of the food is even produced by the teachers and students themselves, improving meals while fostering a sense of independence in the students.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Y, in charge of the boarding school program, shared: "For students in remote villages like Nam Pe, Ngai Cho, and Nam Chang, the boarding school policy is truly the 'key' to keeping them at school. Despite limited living and dining facilities, the dedication of the teaching staff has established and maintained good study and living habits to this day."

In the 2025-2026 school year, Nam Cha Ethnic Boarding Secondary School will have eight classes with 300 students, including 180 boarding students. Despite a shortage of facilities, with many classrooms being repurposed as living quarters, the boarding area remains neat and tidy, becoming a "second home" for students from remote villages.

According to Mr. Vu Van Duong, Party Secretary and Principal of the school, boarding students have better learning conditions and are trained in essential life skills. To ensure their holistic learning, the school has established five clubs with nearly 200 students participating, including: Art-Cultural Preservation; Social Sciences ; Mathematics-Scientific Research; English; and Digital Transformation. Through these clubs, students can develop their talents more comprehensively, consolidate their knowledge, and cultivate a love for traditional culture...

Village head Lo Van Ang, who has spent over 20 years accompanying teachers on their journey to bring literacy to the village, recounted: “In the early days of implementing the boarding school model, students were not used to living in the dormitory. At dusk, they would miss home and follow the trails back to their villages. Many nights, I and the teachers had to light torches and go to each village to find the students. It was hard work, but the teachers were determined to stay in the villages, and I also made an effort to support them. The result is that students attend classes more regularly, no longer skip school, and families trust and feel secure letting their children stay at the school.”

During those years, amidst countless difficulties, driven by a sense of responsibility and love for their profession, many teachers chose to stay in Nam Cha, start families, and remain dedicated to the area for the long term. Typical examples include Mr. Dao Van Hong (from Hanoi), Mr. Nguyen Nhu Y (from Hung Yen), and Ms. Ban Thi Loan Hien (from Phu Tho)... They devoted their youth to the cause of education in the highlands, staying committed to their schools and classrooms with all their heart.

Thanks to these persistent efforts, education in Nam Cha is flourishing, with annual promotion, advancement, and graduation rates reaching 100%. Many students have won awards in district and provincial-level academic competitions; a significant number have passed entrance exams to vocational schools and, after graduation, have returned to work in the local area.

Nam Cha has achieved what it has today thanks to the efforts, dedication, and youthful sacrifices of an entire generation of teachers; the tireless support of the local people and respected figures like Village Head Lo Van Ang...

TUAN HUNG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hanh-trinh-giu-chan-hoc-tro-o-nam-cha-post931637.html