First school opening after province-city merger: A new journey full of emotions

(Dan Tri) - For students who have just moved after the provinces merged, this year's opening day is a turning point full of surprise and hope.

That's when you start a new journey, at a new school, with new friends.

When the "new school" becomes the "new home"

On the morning of September 5, when the whole country joyfully welcomed the new school year, for many students, this was a special moment to meet friends again after the summer vacation. For Ha Ngoc Uyen Phuong, a 11th grade student majoring in literature at Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted, Gia Lai , this year's opening day had an even greater meaning.

That was the day I officially started a new journey, at a new school, with new friends.

Ha Ngoc Uyen Phuong, a 11th grade literature student at Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted, Gia Lai, is excited on the opening day at her new school (Photo: NVCC).

Uyen Phuong was a student at Hung Vuong High School for the Gifted, Gia Lai. Phuong's parents transferred their jobs to the administrative center after the merger of Gia Lai and Binh Dinh provinces (old), so she also changed her learning environment.

When I heard the news, my first feelings were confusion and anxiety. Leaving a familiar environment to start over was indeed a big challenge.

“Will I be able to integrate with my new friends? Will I be able to keep up with the curriculum at my new school?…”, thousands of questions kept swirling in the 11th grader’s mind.

However, those worries quickly disappeared thanks to everyone's care and encouragement.

“My parents, friends, and teachers at both my old and new schools have given me their wholehearted support. In particular, I am extremely grateful for the close guidance of the leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, the Gia Lai Provincial Education Department, and the very favorable conditions created by the school," Uyen Phuong confided.

She said: "My classmates are very friendly and sociable. Right from the first days, they took the initiative to help me, introduce me to everyone and chat with me so I wouldn't feel out of place. The feeling of being welcomed and cared for made me feel much warmer and more confident."

Now, for Uyen Phuong, changing schools is not just a change in learning environment, but also an opportunity for her to experience and grow. This is also an opportunity for her to be more independent, learning to ride her bike to school instead of walking because her house is near the school like before.

She excitedly shared: "Now, I feel many favorable things, unlike my initial thoughts. I have received care and help from teachers at my old school and new school, my friends have supported me a lot in approaching new things, and importantly, I can continue to fulfill my dreams and ambitions in studying."

Uyen Phuong said she was not the only one who transferred schools, there were a few friends from her old school who also transferred here.

“The feeling of riding a bike and looking at the streets and the new school made me both excited and nervous. Nervous about the opening ceremony at a new school, excited about a promising new school year that awaits,” the 11th grader shared.

Teachers of Trung Vuong Primary School, Thai Nguyen welcome students in the new school year (Photo: Quyet Thang).

Like Uyen Phuong, Hoang Minh Duc (born in 2018) also moved from Bac Kan to Thai Nguyen with his parents in July this year after the two provinces were merged. He was admitted to grade 2 at Trung Vuong Primary School.

Mr. Hoang Tung Lam, an officer of Viettel Thai Nguyen Postal Branch, said that in the process of stabilizing life after the province's merger, the family's most important concern was choosing an environment for their children to continue studying and training.

On the first days of school, instead of being worried like his parents, Duc was initially confused but then excited about the new experience.

“The warm welcome from teachers and friends, especially the homeroom teacher, helped my child quickly integrate. My child's joy is also my parents' happiness and peace of mind," Mr. Lam shared.

Similar to Mr. Lam, Ms. Vien, who transferred to the Department of Construction of Thai Nguyen province, also had the same concerns when she transferred her two children, grades 1 and 3, to the new administrative center. Ms. Vien searched for information through relatives, colleagues, and the internet to learn about the school.

“I was impressed. From the moment I contacted them to ask for instructions on transferring my child to another school, the teachers were enthusiastic and attentive in their guidance. After a week of school, I felt very secure because the teachers were friendly and the learning environment was good. When I got home, my two children bragged that the principal had picked them up at the gate. I was very happy,” the parent shared.

Parents added that the homeroom teacher is also very understanding, knowing that the children will be shy and not be able to get acquainted with new friends right away, so she always takes the time to ask questions and help the children feel most comfortable.

Ms. Vien emphasized that the psychology of parents when their children come home happy from school means that the parents are very secure with their jobs at the new place.

Teachers and schools together

In the 2025-2026 school year, Trung Vuong Primary School, Phan Dinh Phung Ward, Thai Nguyen Province, held a special opening ceremony. After 28 years since the separation of Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan provinces, the school opened its gates to welcome Bac Kan students returning after the merger, "coming to Hop Pho".

32 Bac Kan students who followed their parents to Thai Nguyen to receive new jobs were accepted into the 117-year-old school.

The school was founded in 1908. After 4 separations and mergers, in the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year, the century-old school witnessed students from the two former provinces of Bac Kan and Thai Nguyen holding hands under the national flag, singing the song Tien Quan Ca.

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Mai, the school's principal, said that this year the school welcomed 224 first graders. This is also the year with the highest number of transferred students ever, with 54 students.

“On behalf of the school, I would like to send my best wishes to all the students, and especially a warm welcome to the children from many different schools who have gathered at Trung Vuong today.

Your presence is a joy, a pride and also a motivation for us teachers and students to build a united and happy learning community together," the Principal of Trung Vuong Primary School shared.

Students transferring schools after the merger received attention and support from teachers and the school (Photo: Quyet Thang).

Mr. Pham Van Nam, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Gia Lai, said that after the merger, the entire Gia Lai education sector has more than 766,000 students, more than 55,000 education managers and teachers at 1,390 educational institutions.

After the merger of the two provinces, the administrative center was located in Quy Nhon, so many officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers of Gia Lai province (old) transferred to work here.

Along with that is the need for their children to move to Quy Nhon to study. As of August 31, about 261 students of all levels of general education have transferred to enroll in schools in the new central area located in the old Quy Nhon city.

The Department has issued many documents directing and guiding wards and schools to receive and provide detailed instructions, and at the same time sent all the regulations to departments, branches and sectors to support parents in completing the application quickly and conveniently.

Gia Lai Department of Education and Training also always proactively contacts parents and schools directly to resolve issues according to their wishes as well as provide advice and share information so that parents know and understand better in choosing a school where they want to transfer their children to Quy Nhon to study.

“The education sector always strives to create a safe and friendly learning environment, helping students develop comprehensively in terms of knowledge, personality, life skills and talents. Students will be able to study comfortably, without pressure, encouraging initiative, creativity and independent thinking,” Mr. Pham Van Nam shared.

According to the Director, in the new school year, the Gia Lai Education sector will continue to innovate teaching methods, improve facilities, and promote cooperation between schools, families and society to best support students.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/khai-giang-dau-tien-sau-hop-nhat-tinh-thanh-hanh-trinh-moi-day-ap-cam-xuc-20250905092048792.htm