The person who sows letters at the border marker

TPO - In the middle of the border land of Tay Ninh province, where people's lives are still difficult and deprived, there are teachers who have devoted their youth to preserving the word. Without making noise, without seeking glory, they quietly stand on the podium, sowing in the hearts of their students not only knowledge but also faith and the desire for change.

Among them, Ms. Bui Thi Ai Mai - teacher at Tan Hiep Primary School and Mr. Le Hong Phuoc - Chemistry teacher at Khanh Hung Secondary and High School, are two beautiful, sincere and powerful stories.

Born into a poor farming family, Mai's childhood was spent in the fields, working in the early mornings and helping her parents in the afternoons. A hard life taught her early that knowledge is the path to change. Since then, the dream of becoming a teacher to bring knowledge to her poor hometown has always burned within her.

In 1993, she started working at Tan Hiep Primary School (Binh Thanh Commune, Trang Bang District), a small school near the border, far from the center, lacking in all aspects. Most of the students were children of farmers, many of whom had never attended kindergarten, and were unfamiliar and shy when entering first grade. However, Ms. Mai did not consider this an obstacle but a motivation to stay and contribute, even though there were times when the salary was not enough to live on, even though it was a remote border area.

Combined class includes grade 5 and grade 3 at Tan Hiep Primary School.

During her 32 years of association, the blackboard, white chalk, and students' voices have become the most familiar sounds in her life. During that time, there were 16 years of teaching combined classes, Ms. Mai taught two grades at the same time, sometimes both grade 3 and grade 5 with many different ages.

In the same small classroom, there are students who have just learned to write, others who can do multiplication, and sometimes there are students with disabilities who are integrated into the classroom. This requires the teacher to flexibly design lesson plans for each group before each class, adjusting the teaching method to suit each student's age and ability. There are also students who study "sometimes male, sometimes female" because of economic difficulties, and having to follow their parents to farm and fish, making both teacher and students work hard to pursue knowledge.

However, amidst all that chaos, she still gently encouraged each child, sometimes just with a look or a gentle handshake. Because Ms. Mai understood that she was not only teaching them to read and write, but also teaching them to believe in themselves, to believe that in this borderland, dreams could still sprout, that poverty was not a stopping point but a starting point.

As for herself, in her journey to stand on the podium, Ms. Mai has always continuously self-studied and innovated. Many of her teaching initiatives have been recognized at the district and provincial levels, focusing on inclusive education and multi-classes. For many years, she has been awarded the title of Emulation Fighter at the grassroots level, Emulation Fighter at the provincial level, and won high prizes in competitions for excellent teachers and excellent homeroom teachers. Her students also regularly win prizes in competitions for excellent students.

But what makes her most proud is not the certificates of merit, but when she sees her students grow up, return to stand on the old podium, continuing the journey of spreading knowledge. Like Mr. Bang and Ms. Thao – two students from that year, now enthusiastic young teachers – are proof of the seeds of love she once sowed at the border.

For Ms. Mai, the teaching profession is a journey of sowing seeds and waiting, it is the belief that even in the most remote places, knowledge and love can still sprout, grow, and spread their light to life.

Daily activities in the classroom.

However, she still has many concerns: lack of facilities, degraded classrooms, students going to school far away, and muddy roads during the rainy season. She hopes that students in the border areas will have better learning conditions, so that no one is disadvantaged on their journey to knowledge.

She believes that in any land, teachers can sow seeds of knowledge and love, then patiently care for them every day. For her, teaching is a long journey of perseverance and hope, like a sower always believes in the spring ahead. And she believes that those seeds, even if sown in a remote border area, will still sprout, grow and flourish to spread their light to the world.

For her, education is not just a job. It is a responsibility and a love. It is a long journey of sowing seeds, nurturing and waiting.

“Above all, I want to convey my love for the profession, my perseverance and my belief that education, no matter where it is, always has the power to change people's lives.”

Ms. Mai shared.

Like Ms. Mai, Mr. Le Hong Phuoc was also born into a poor family, his childhood was associated with the fields and the days when his parents worked hard to provide food and education. It was in this difficult time that he nurtured the dream of becoming a teacher - someone who lights the way for the future of the children in his hometown.

Since 2012, he has been working at Khanh Hung Secondary and High School, Khanh Hung Commune, Vinh Hung District ( Tay Ninh ) - where students go to school far away, have economic difficulties, and limited facilities. But in the eyes of the students there is always a sparkling desire to learn, and that is what keeps him here.

Mr. Phuoc prepares an illustration model for the lesson.

As a Chemistry teacher, he struggled: From then on, he persistently innovated teaching methods: applying information technology, bringing images, experiments, and videos into lectures; when conditions were lacking, he created his own illustrative models from available materials, helping students observe and experience instead of just taking notes.

For him, teaching is a process of companionship and instilling confidence. Poor students in the border areas not only need knowledge but also encouragement and motivation. Each lesson is therefore not only a lecture, but also a conversation between people who are on the same journey of overcoming difficulties. Thanks to that, many of his students have won prizes for excellent students in Chemistry at the district and provincial levels, and some have chosen to continue pursuing the field of science.

Through many years of work, he has always strived to improve his expertise and innovate teaching methods to make it easier for students to learn. Dedicated to his profession and close to his students, he not only imparts knowledge but also inspires confidence and a spirit of effort in each student. For him, teaching is a process of persistent companionship, a journey of sowing and nurturing the seeds of knowledge in the border area.

Those silent efforts have been recognized with many valuable awards: Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister for achievements in education and training, contributing to the cause of building socialism and defending the Fatherland in 2022; Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for excellent completion of tasks in the 2015-2016 school year; Title of Excellent Teacher at the provincial level with Second Prize in 2020... Along with many other certificates of merit and titles from the education sector and locality. But more than all the certificates of merit, what makes him most precious is the maturity of his students - that is the greatest reward for a teacher.

Daily activities in Mr. Phuoc's class.

For me, a teacher not only imparts knowledge, but also transmits faith. In a remote area with many shortages, what keeps the classroom bright is not just the electric light, but the light from the teacher's heart.

The intersection of two journeys

Although at two different levels of education, the journeys of Ms. Bui Thi Ai Mai and Mr. Le Hong Phuoc meet at the same point: love for the profession and belief in the power of education. They both choose to stay in the border area - where conditions are still limited, but every day is still lit up by the sound of reading and the smiles of students. For them, the podium is not only a place to impart knowledge, but also a place to sow seeds of hope, nurture faith and awaken the desire to rise in each child.

On this occasion, the two teachers were honored to be on the list of 80 teachers honored in the "Sharing with Teachers" program in 2025, organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union in coordination with Thien Long Group. The program is expected to be held at the end of November 2025 in Hanoi.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nguoi-gioo-chu-ben-cot-moc-bien-gioi-post1794962.tpo