Learn to be a role model.

Mr. Trieu with his children and grandchildren on their graduation day.

Dressed in his graduation attire, Mr. Trieu beamed with joy, quickly greeting his teachers and classmates, and posing for commemorative photos. His children and grandchildren also came to celebrate with him, all proud to see their father and grandfather graduate at such a young age. When Mr. Trieu's name was called to receive his Intermediate Law diploma, we saw the emotion on his face and that of his children and grandchildren in the audience.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trieu, currently residing in Tan Quoi Kinh hamlet, Tan Binh commune, Can Tho city, is the head of the local security team. He recounts that due to difficult family circumstances, he had to drop out of school after completing the 9th grade to help his parents. At the age of 18, he started working as a food accountant for the commune, and subsequently held various positions in the locality, such as in the commune's People's Committee office and in hamlets.

For many years, Mr. Trieu participated in grassroots mediation work. During this process, he encountered many legal issues he was unfamiliar with, requiring him to consult and learn from various sources. In 2020, his wife passed away due to illness. Feeling sad at home, he considered studying Law at a vocational college. In 2023, encouraged by his two children, Mr. Trieu enrolled and, after about two years, received his diploma, fulfilling his dream of furthering his knowledge of law.

Mr. Trieu recalled that in the early days of his studies, after several decades, he felt quite bewildered. Some classmates were close to his age, but the majority were the age of his children and grandchildren, so he felt a little apprehensive. Writing and doing assignments were also not easy at his age (nearly 60). But after just a few weeks, getting to know the teachers and classmates, he gradually adapted to the learning environment. “With hard work, and the encouragement of my teachers, classmates, and especially my children and grandchildren, I have fulfilled my lifelong dream,” Mr. Trieu said emotionally.

When asked what he hoped for when he decided to go back to school at nearly 60 years old, he smiled and shared, "Certainly not for career advancement." Most importantly, he wanted to improve his knowledge and better fulfill his local duties. His involvement in mediation required him to explain things in a way that was both empathetic and reasonable, meaning that besides neighborly relations, he had to ensure the supremacy of law and social justice based on legal principles. Therefore, when approaching laws in the areas of land, marriage and family, civil law, etc., he was often confused, but after going back to school, he felt much more confident. He also learned from his teachers and friends to improve his skills in areas where he didn't fully understand. But for Mr. Trieu, another important thing was that he went back to school to set an example for his children and grandchildren, spreading the spirit of lifelong learning.

Both of his children are highly educated, and his grandchildren are well-behaved, making him very proud. Nguyen Thanh Men, Mr. Trieu's son, said: “When we learned that Dad intended to go back to school, the whole family supported him. He studied very diligently and hard. He is also an example for me, and I use him to teach my children. I am happy that my father received his diploma today.” In Men's eyes, we saw pride and a sense of honor for his father, who overcame difficulties, was studious, and served as a shining example for his children and grandchildren to follow.

Text and photos: DANG HUYNH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/hoc-de-lam-guong-a188439.html