The teacher brought letters to Dao San land

When the lights began to flicker on the land covered in mist all year round - Dao San (Lai Chau), the literacy class in the small room of Mu Sang Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities resounded with the sound of spelling.

Quietly sowing letters in the great forest

The person who lights up that classroom every night is Mr. Cao Huu Tuyen, born in 1990, from Quang Tri – who has spent more than a decade bringing letters to the Mong ethnic people in the highlands covered in mist all year round.

Mr. Tuyen's way to school in the rainy season. Photo: NC

Teacher Tuyen went to Lai Chau more than ten years ago. The decision to leave the lowlands to come to the Northwest, according to him, was a journey of "anchoring oneself in the great forest".

The first day he arrived in Mu Sang, he had to walk 18 km on a muddy road due to the rain in the jungle. Despite the hardship, he never thought of returning. During the day, he taught primary school students; at night, he took on the job of opening an literacy class for adults in the village.

Literacy class organized by Mu Sang Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities. Photo: NC

The literacy class currently has 22 students, most of whom are Mong ethnic people. Many of them used to go to school but had to drop out after 3rd or 4th grade because of farming. When they returned to class, the letters were unfamiliar, and their hands trembled when they picked up the pen.

Every night, about 15 minutes before class, the teacher sends a message to the class group to remind everyone to do their homework. The class takes place after dark, but it is warm and intimate. In that small space, the teacher teaches words, encourages each student, and patiently explains things they are still confused about. Some people stay after class and ask the teacher: "Can you teach this again tomorrow?". These honest questions make the teacher even more attached to the class.

Small aspirations spark big changes

To get to class, many students have to cross slippery dirt roads after a tiring day of farming. They carry old notebooks in their hands, persistently coming to class while the village has fallen asleep. What Mr. Tuyen noticed most clearly was their change: more confident, bolder, no longer afraid to ask questions or read like before.

For Mr. Tuyen, the feeling of seeing students write their names for the first time is an indescribable joy. “I don’t expect them to study well, I just want them to no longer be afraid of letters. I’m happy if they can read their child’s name or sign documents,” he said.

Mr. Cao Huu Tuyen. Photo: NC

In class, everyone has a small goal: some write their child’s name carefully, others practice reading notes for business. For them, writing is the key to making life more proactive.

The course ends at the end of June. What Mr. Tuyen worries about most is not the final results but whether the students will continue to maintain their study habits. “I just hope that people can still remember the characters, still hold a pen and apply them in life,” Mr. Tuyen shared.

What I hope most is that parents who have attended the literacy class will become their children's companions in learning.

Mr. Mai Anh Thang, Principal of Mu Sang Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, assessed Mr. Tuyen as a responsible, dedicated and exemplary teacher.

“In the literacy class, he showed a pioneering spirit, closely following each student. From preparing the lesson to encouraging each person to come to class, he did everything very carefully and wholeheartedly,” Mr. Thang commented.

Not only teaching in class, Mr. Tuyen also coordinates with local organizations and unions to mobilize people to study, bringing the spirit of learning to each village. His perseverance and persistence have contributed to kindling the desire for lifelong learning in a place with many deprivations like Dao San.

In Dao San, where letters used to come later than the harvest, teacher Cao Huu Tuyen is quietly keeping the fire of knowledge burning every day, bringing the light of learning to every home in the vast Northwest.

Nguyen Hoai

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/nguoi-thay-mang-con-chu-len-manh-dat-dao-san.html