The arduous task of bringing literacy to the mountainous province of Son La.

Although the distance is only a little over 10 km, it takes teachers more than an hour to travel from the center of Muong Va Primary and Secondary School in Muong Va commune, Sop Cop district ( Son La province ) to the Pa Vai school branch. On sunny days, it's dusty; on rainy days, the road is slippery. Sometimes, when it rains heavily, they can't cross the stream, so the teachers have to leave their vehicles and walk to school.

The road to the schools in the highlands is rugged and full of rocks.

"I'm also a long-time teacher, teaching in the highlands, in a particularly difficult area where transportation involves crossing rivers and streams. Sometimes, when it rains heavily and I can't cross the streams, I have to leave my motorbike at a villager's house and walk to the school. My motivation to come here is the students waiting for me to bring them knowledge. Seeing the students come to class regularly is a joy for the teachers," shared Mr. Lo Van Hung, a teacher at the school.

The Pá Vai school branch has two classes with 30 students. Currently, the school has one permanent classroom, while the other is a temporary classroom built by the teachers and parents. Despite the difficult and inadequate transportation and facilities, the teachers here always strive their best for their beloved students.

Sometimes, when it rains heavily and they can't cross the stream, the teachers have to leave their cars behind and walk to school.

"Most of the students here are from ethnic minority groups, have limited interaction with the outside world, and face difficulties in learning, so I have to try to teach in a practical way, explaining things realistically so that the students understand. The roads are difficult to travel on, especially in the sun or rain, so I have to encourage parents to pick up their children, or I drive them to class myself. In class, the students' academic progress improves," said Mr. Vi Van Hoa, a teacher at Muong Va Primary and Secondary School.

Their spelling may be unclear, but the students here all possess a thirst for knowledge. For them, every day at school is a joyful day, and the ones who bring that joy to them are none other than their dedicated teachers.

The Pá Vai school currently has 2 classes with 30 students.

Lau Xuan Hung, a second-grade student at Pa Vai school, said: "I like going to school. Going to school means meeting many friends and teachers, and I'm very happy."

The entire Sop Cop district has more than 20 schools from preschool to junior high school, with over 18,000 students. The large geographical area, uneven population distribution, and lack of teaching facilities pose a major challenge for the district's education sector.

Despite facing many challenges, the teachers and students of the school are always striving to learn for a bright future.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Son, Deputy Head of the Education and Training Department of Sop Cop District, Son La Province, said: "Sop Cop is a particularly difficult border district of the province, facing many challenges, including a shortage of teachers at all three levels of education: preschool, primary, and secondary, compared to the prescribed standards. Regarding facilities, Sop Cop district has many school locations, which are far apart. The demand for boarding facilities is high, but the current infrastructure is insufficient to meet the needs of boarding students."

Despite facing many difficulties and shortages, the teachers here still stay at their classrooms and schools every day, imparting knowledge to the students in the highlands, hoping that they will have a bright future.

Source: https://vov.vn/xa-hoi/nhoc-nhan-cong-chu-len-non-post1136640.vov