The teacher sows seeds on rocky ground.

Ba Tri on a windy afternoon. Coconut trees sway in the sea breeze, small dikes wind through old shrimp farms, and a secondary school nestles amidst this salty land: An Duc Secondary School (Ba Tri commune, Vinh Long province).

Teacher Hien (fifth from the left) participating in activities to share with disadvantaged people and students - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

This land has a special teacher – someone the locals affectionately call Teacher Hien. His full name is Nguyen Van Hien, the principal of An Duc Secondary School, but for many people, he is also a "brother," an "uncle," a "supporter," and a "teacher for those facing hardship."

Poor schools hold students back.

When asked about the path that led him to become a teacher, he said: "I studied pedagogy primarily because... I was poor. Going to school didn't cost tuition, which eased the burden on my mother. But the reason I stayed in the profession wasn't about money."

Then he told stories about his former teachers, those who had recognized the plight of a fatherless child who had to balance school with helping his mother sell goods on the street.

"They treated me with kindness. I thought, 'How wonderful it would be if I could become like them, changing the lives of poor children like I was in the past.'"

When he was transferred to An Duc Secondary School in 2018, he finally understood that "fate" had brought him back to the land of his impoverished childhood. The school lacked everything: broken desks and chairs, the schoolyard turned into a pond in the rainy season, classrooms were makeshift, and information technology was almost non-existent.

What worries the teacher most is not the equipment, but the children, as there are still many poor and near-poor students here. Some children go to school wearing worn-out sandals, while others struggle to get to school because their families can't afford insurance or notebooks.

"But amidst that poverty, I saw something beautiful," he recounted. "The teachers worked tirelessly; the parents toiled hard but still clung to their land and professions so their children could get an education; most of the students were well-behaved and polite, and many were admirable for overcoming hardship. I felt I couldn't leave. If I abandoned this place, who would stay with the children?"

On his first day in office, he chose to start with the smallest things, as he said: "Easy first, difficult later. Internal first, external later. Individual first, collective later." He personally repaired each set of desks and chairs. He personally disassembled old computers to reuse the components. He cleaned every corner of the schoolyard, planted every bush, and swept up every stained wall.

A colleague recounted: "There were days when the teacher stayed at school until late at night to reorganize files and records. The next morning, you'd see him sweeping the yard like a security guard."

Inspired by the example of their leader, the teaching staff gradually joined hands. "At first, many teachers were hesitant because of the difficulties, but when they saw him working day and night, everyone softened their hearts," said an 8th-grade homeroom teacher. "Looking back now, his efforts are like a spark that ignites our spirits."

The teacher not only "renovated" the school but also began a construction journey – a journey that was almost unimaginable for a school in a particularly disadvantaged commune: building a multi-purpose library, multi-purpose classrooms, upgrading the schoolyard, installing a drainage system, building a parking garage, toilets, etc.

It all started from zero. The teacher went around, appealing and meeting with benefactors. "I wrote dozens of handwritten letters soliciting donations. Some people gave 5 million VND, others gave old desks and chairs. Even small amounts are appreciated, as long as they help the students," Mr. Hien recalled emotionally.

Alongside this is school welfare: 100% of poor and near-poor students receive health insurance, accident insurance, textbooks, and scholarships sponsored by the school. All students receive gifts during the Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year. More than 10 charitable houses have been built for disadvantaged students. The "Entrepreneurship Uprising" program provided three goat pens to three poor students to help them escape poverty. "I don't want my students to drop out of school because of poverty. Poverty is not a fault," Mr. Hien said, his eyes welling up with tears.

Teacher Hien participating in activities to share with disadvantaged people and students - Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

The teacher helps to preserve the essence of Vietnamese homeland and culture.

Ms. NGUYEN THI THANH THUY (Head of the Mothers' Club)

Teacher Hien not only cared for his students, colleagues, associates, and the people of the coconut-growing region, but I also received encouragement when I visited the school for the first and second time with the women from the Mothers' Club. His efforts and dedication are a shining example for many. There are few teachers like Teacher Hien.

I fondly remember the traditional cakes from my hometown, and how whenever a group returned to the school or to my hometown of Ba Tri, the teacher would cook vegetarian rice noodle soup for them. I also remember the traditional folk songs and the tray of sticky rice cakes he brought on the 10th anniversary of the death of Teacher Tran Van Khe. Beyond teaching knowledge, Teacher Hien also helped preserve the essence of the countryside, the festivals, and Vietnamese culture. Perhaps all the virtues of a person are embodied in him – a man who is both eager to learn and hardworking.

The interviewer asked the teacher about the story that moved him the most. He paused for a few seconds before recounting the story of a boy wearing a tattered school uniform. "That day, I was helping the teachers with chores when I saw him in such a pitiful outfit. I called him over to ask what was wrong. He lives with his grandfather; his father works as a construction laborer far away, and his mother left when he was young. His eyes looked so sad," shared teacher Nguyen Van Hien.

The teacher used a needle and thread to mend the girl's clothes – he didn't have a sewing machine at the time. "I talked to her while I mended her clothes. When she saw her clothes were patched, she smiled so brightly that it brought tears to my eyes." A week later, a colleague gave him a sewing machine. "That's how the job of mending clothes for poor students began," he laughed. "Now I've become... the school's tailor."

Another story that troubled him deeply: while searching for truant students, he encountered a woman whose face was disfigured by burns, her hands gnarled, living in a small shack, earning a living by peeling cashew nuts for hire. Her husband had left her, her children were gone, and her life seemed to have hit rock bottom.

"I couldn't bear to watch. I wanted to help, but I didn't have the means." He took to Facebook to appeal to his friends for help. And miraculously, after only a few months, she had a new house. "When she stood in front of her new house, laughing and crying at the same time, I felt a great weight lifted from my heart. At moments like that, I feel like I haven't lived in vain," Mr. Hien said, his voice trembling with emotion.

And from those little stories, friends and acquaintances everywhere came to know him - the principal with a big heart in a thin frame.

Colleagues often ask, "Why do you work so much? Aren't you tired?" Mr. Hien just smiles and says, "There's a lot of pressure, of course. But whenever I see a struggling family happy to receive support, or see my students smile, I forget all the fatigue." That's also his philosophy of life: "Their happiness is my happiness. So, no matter how hard it is, I'll do it."

He treated the younger teachers like family. "I always told them: I'm the one in charge, you guys just focus on teaching and making a living. Leave the competition and awards to me."

The teacher implemented a "2+1" model: two excellent teachers mentoring one teacher with limited skills. Thanks to this, the team became united and progressed very quickly. The school, which was previously ranked near the bottom, rose to the top 3 in the entire district, and in some years even led the ranking. The Party branch and the school as a whole have consistently achieved the title of "Excellent" for many years.

When asked what made him most proud during his eight years at An Duc, he immediately replied, "My students." Then he recounted a memory that he still remembers vividly. One morning at Ba Tri market, someone ran up and hugged him from behind: "Teacher, you don't need to look at me, just listen to my voice. Do you remember who I am? It's Hoa from class 9/1. I have good news for you: I've been accepted into teacher training! Thank you for the house and scholarship that allowed me to have this opportunity today."

The teacher's voice softened as he said, "After hearing that, I stood speechless. A tiny embrace, yet it brought me lifelong happiness."

At the end of our conversation, I asked the principal what message he wanted to send to young people, especially teachers in disadvantaged areas. He smiled, his voice firm: "Don't be afraid to sow seeds even on rocky ground; one day, even the rocks will bloom." A simple statement, yet it encapsulates the entire journey of cultivation undertaken by this principal from the coconut-growing region – a man who transformed a poor school into a shining example, turned adversity into motivation, and transformed love into action.

Eight years of change at An Duc Secondary School

After eight years as principal, Mr. Nguyen Van Hien has contributed to transforming An Duc Secondary School from a near-bottom-ranked unit to a leading group in the emulation movement, consistently ranking in the top 3 among secondary schools and even first in the entire district in some years. Along with building a united and friendly team, Mr. Hien has promoted social mobilization to improve facilities and care for school welfare. The school has mobilized resources to build 10 charitable houses for students and impoverished families; and provided hundreds of scholarships for students...

The total funds raised for charitable activities and school development reached over 6 billion VND.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguoi-thay-gieo-mam-บน-soi-da-20251214233021511.htm