The green-uniformed soldier builds "lettered milestones" on the great border

(Dan Tri) - In the midst of the vast border, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan understands that for the people, letters are not only knowledge, a door opening to the future, but also the belief in building "letter milestones" to protect the Fatherland.

After many years of working in the border area, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan - Policy Assistant, Political Department, Border Guard Command of Lang Son province - understands that the duty of a border guard is not only to guard every inch of the sacred land of the Fatherland but also to contribute to lighting the fire of knowledge.

Although not a teacher, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan is one of the honored faces of the program "Sharing with teachers 2025" organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Training .

Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan is one of the honored faces of the program "Sharing with teachers 2025" (Photo: LT).

Literacy classes - not letting people in border areas be left behind by the door of knowledge

More than 3 years ago, on the first day of his assignment at Ba Son Border Guard Station, Lang Son province, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan could not help but think about the difficult life and education of the people in the border area.

Especially in border villages like Mau Son highlands, about 60% of households are still poor; the rate of illiterate children and elderly people is still high when many families do not have the conditions to send their children to school with the thought "no need for education".

Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan and his students in the Ba Son border area (Photo: LT).

Many older people shake their heads and hesitate when it comes to learning to read and write. They have lived their whole lives doing hard work and are used to calculating by experience rather than by writing and numbers on paper.

When illiterate, many people cannot write their names, cannot send a message to their children who work far away, cannot read information. Seeing people being blocked in front of the door of knowledge, before the time, Lieutenant Colonel Tuan further determined the mission of the border guard: "To keep the border strong, we must help people master knowledge".

From this thought, Mr. Tuan proactively reported to the Station Command Board, advised the Party Committee and local authorities to open literacy classes for the people, and encouraged them to attend classes. With the advantage of knowing the Tay, Nung and Dao languages, he was assigned the task of propaganda, going directly to each house, talking and persuading people to go to literacy classes.

Mr. Tuan remembers the early days of propaganda and still faced… reactions. He understands that behind the avoidance and refusal is the psychology of many old people, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters who are afraid and ashamed of being discovered that they are illiterate.

On cold winter days, Mr. Tuan and his teammates waded through mountain passes to the villages to teach, bringing knowledge to the people.

Classrooms in border areas are associated with the image of national landmarks (Photo: LT).

With the participation of the Border Guard and local authorities, the border area here has opened 3 literacy classes with 156 students attending. The classes are located in the village cultural house or the combined school; students are of all ages, from children to the elderly.

Each letter is an invisible milestone

There were nights when he taught under the electric lights, Mr. Tuan felt himself transformed into many roles. He stood in class like a teacher but his emotions and heart were as excited as a son, an older brother, a father who was giving something more important than words and knowledge: faith and aspiration to rise up.

He deeply remembers the moment when his “student” was able to write his name for the first time; an elderly person composed a message to send to his daughter who is working as a factory worker in Bac Ninh: “Mom is fine. Try your best!”. A seemingly simple message, but it was a sky full of love and longing, sent not only with love but also with knowledge. On the other side, the child burst into tears when seeing the message from his mother for the first time.

There is also the image of old people, even though their backs are hunched and their eyes are dim, still leaning on a cane to go to class, smiling toothlessly: "Study to not be left behind, to understand what our cadres say."

Each word for the border residents is to build another "invisible milestone" to protect the Fatherland (Photo: LT).

Many people wonder: The green-uniformed teacher who helps the villagers learn to read and write has a lot of work, he has to patrol and protect the border, help people develop the economy, and also teaches?

Lieutenant Colonel Tuan smiled: "The border is not only protected by barbed wire fences or patrol teams, but by the awareness and pride of the people here."

Thanks to the literacy classes, the bond between the army and the people has become even stronger. It is easier for soldiers to propagate the law, mobilize people to maintain security and order, and participate in protecting border markers.

When people’s knowledge is raised, their hearts are stronger, and the border will be safer. He believes that every word that comes to the people is an “invisible milestone”. When people are literate, they will understand the law, their rights, and their responsibilities; and then the border will not only be protected by barbed wire fences or patrols, but also by national consciousness and pride.

Keep the land, keep the people's hearts

Contributing to the "human cultivation" in the border of the Fatherland, although not a teacher, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan feels the responsibility as well as the joy of being a person who spreads the fire. The border area may be cold in terrain and harsh in weather, but knowledge and connection help warm up this place.

For border guards, bringing knowledge to the people means protecting the land and the people's hearts (Photo: LT).

Mr. Tuan reminded himself that soldiers working at the border must not only protect the land, but also the hearts of the people; not only carry military uniforms, but also bring love and knowledge. Once the people at the border are stable in terms of life, culture and knowledge, that is the foundation for a strong border.

“For me, adding another old person or child who can read and write is an achievement, a priceless reward,” he confided.

In his role as a teacher, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Tuan envisions a day in the near future when the children in Ba Son grow up and step out into the world with letters and education, they will remember the soldiers who sowed the seeds of knowledge in their homeland.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/nguoi-linh-quan-ham-xanh-xay-cot-moc-chu-noi-dai-ngan-bien-gioi-20251119080446945.htm