"Golden rice grains" help me go to class

After each rice crop, the people of Thao Chu Phin commune (Si Ma Cai) diligently divide the rice into portions, the majority is food for the whole family, the remainder is used as seeds for the next crop, the worse rice is given to pigs, chickens... Most notably, the people of the "land of peach blossoms" always set aside a portion of rice to contribute to "education".

Thao Chu Phin consists of small villages of Mong people. The small houses are nestled under rows of peach blossom trees (in Mong language, Thao Chu Phin means peach blossom village). More than 30 years ago, the people here still had to "work hard to make ends meet". This is also a commune with "noeducation" .

In the small house, the earthen walls are cracked and dry because of the summer sun. The student Hoang Thi Dung has just finished the 6th grade and stays home to look after her 3 younger siblings. Although her family's economic conditions are difficult, Dung has a studious spirit and always achieves high academic results. Last school year, Dung achieved the title of outstanding student, received a certificate of merit from the school and received a commendation and reward from the Thao Chu Phin Commune Promotion of Education Association. Holding the small gift to show us, the student confided: I am very happy to receive the reward.

Dung, like other children in the “land of peach blossoms”, grew up and went to school thanks to educational support policies as well as meals provided by local people. The model of community-based boarding has been implemented in many localities, but in Thao Chu Phin, it can be considered a “specialty”. The birth of the model is a long story, not many people know about it, but more than anyone else, the people of Thao Chu Phin have always supported the model to be maintained until now.

Going back in time about 30 years ago, the classrooms in the "land of peach blossoms" were all thatched houses with bamboo walls, and children's schooling at that time was not given much attention. Also due to poverty, many students went to school and then dropped out because they had to work with their parents to make ends meet. In order for their children to go to school, the people of Thao Chu Phin responded wholeheartedly, contributing rice to feed the students. Despite poverty, many families still tried to participate in contributing, some even accepted to eat cassava to save rice for their children to go to school. The boarding model of Thao Chu Phin was born like that and was also the first model of the whole district, later studied and followed by many schools in the province.

As has become a tradition, without anyone telling anyone, every year, the people of Thao Chu Phin set aside a portion of their rice to contribute to education. Rice thus becomes a kind of fund of the Commune's Association for Promoting Education. Normally, each household contributes 10 kg of rice or 2 kg of rice to support schools to cook for boarding students. Many families do not have children going to school, or are in difficult circumstances, but still enthusiastically support because this is a convention, a village covenant, demonstrating the common responsibility of the community in promoting education in villages and hamlets.

The Vang family has 52 members, including 22 council members. Although there are many households in the family facing difficult circumstances, every year, everyone still contributes rice to the students. Mr. Vang Seo Vu, Head of Ho Sao Chai village, is one of the outstanding members of the Vang family. Mr. Vu said: More than 500 kg of rice contributed by the Vang family was transferred to the village kindergarten, providing food for students. The Vang family is also honored to be one of the 5 outstanding learning families of Thao Chu Phin commune.

Similar to the Vang family, other families such as Ly, Ma, Thao... also always care about the education of the younger generation. Currently, most students in the commune receive monthly rice support from the Government , but food contributions are still made. Contributing rice is maintained as a form of contributing funds to local education promotion activities. In 2023, the Commune Education Promotion Association mobilized contributions from the people to receive 6 tons of rice for preschool students and more than 500 kg of rice to support boarding students of primary and secondary schools in the commune.

According to Mr. Sung A Din, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thao Chu Phin Commune, contributing rice is one of the good traditions preserved by local people, clearly demonstrating their interest in promoting learning and talent. For each specific subject, the Commune's Association for Promoting Learning has appropriate support. Children in especially difficult circumstances, orphans, with good academic results will be commended, rewarded, and supported with food.

Learning is not just the private matter of the education sector, not the story of the school and students, but the common responsibility of the community. With high consensus, Thao Chu Phin has always been a locality known for its studious spirit and is a typical example in the study encouragement movement of Simacai district.
Mr. Sung A Din, Vice Chairman of People's Committee of Thao Chu Phin commune.

From the “golden rice grains” crystallized by the sweat and efforts of the people, the dreams of many generations of students in the “land of peach blossoms” continue to be nurtured. Also from the “golden rice grains” that place their trust in the school to nurture students, Thao Chu Phin has gone from being a “white commune” in education to becoming a bright spot in Simacai.

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