Young 'fathers' in the middle of the jungle: Sweet fruit

What makes the "kindergarten fathers" most excited today is seeing the seeds they sowed grow into generations of mature students, confidently stepping into life.

The seeds of letters sprout

More than 30 years ago, teachers like Mr. Sang, Mr. Hac (Van Nho Kindergarten); Mr. Anh, Mr. Duc (Ky Tan Kindergarten); Mr. Duong, Mr. Cuong, Mr. Tien, Mr. Tinh (Thanh Quan Kindergarten)... quietly sowed knowledge amidst countless deprivations. Three decades have passed, and those green buds have now blossomed, becoming adults who seemed to never have the chance. For the teachers, that is the sweetest fruit, the priceless gift, and also the most beautiful legacy in their life as "babysitters".

The children who once shyly hid behind their mothers, with purple feet from the cold, dirty faces… are now grown up. Some have become colleagues with teachers who teach the children of the people, some are commune officials, commune police officers, pharmacists or simply farmers who know how to read, write, and calculate to change their lives.

Among the students in the past at Van Nho Kindergarten, there was a student named Ha Van Tu who often came to class with purple legs after crossing the icy stream. Teacher Luong Van Sang still remembers the day Tu stood in front of the blackboard and recited the first letter. Now Tu is a teacher at Ba Thuoc Boarding School for Ethnic Minority Children, teaching ethnic minority children.

The boy Ha Van Ngoi, who always came to class early because “he came to listen to the teacher tell stories”, is now the Vice Principal of Ba Thuoc Secondary and High School. The student Ha Huy Hoang is now a police officer of Van Nho commune. And many more people – the children who used to study under the floor have now grown up and become successful.

The "kindergarten fathers" take care of their students like their own children.

Every time they recall the students who overcame hardships and hardships to find knowledge and then step out of the mountains, the teachers excitedly tell the stories as if they happened yesterday. The teachers’ happiness is sometimes just a very ordinary story.

I asked Mr. Sang, in more than thirty years, what makes him most proud? He smiled a smile that sparkled with happiness: “It’s not because I built the school, but because the children have overcome their own lives. Teaching children in the highlands is not just about teaching them to read and write – it’s about teaching them how to get out of poverty.”

He did not mention the days of walking to ask for a school, nor the many times he thought about quitting the job when there was no support system. He also did not talk about the dark floor under the stilt house, nor about the 18 kg of rice that had to be rationed for each meal. He only said one sentence: “What makes me stay is the childish eyes, after decades, those eyes are still here.”

Teacher Ha Van Duc - Ky Tan Kindergarten during singing lesson.

The teacher who inspires passion

On a winter morning, the school yard is filled with laughter, rows of brightly colored classrooms, the playground is covered in green, in the middle of that space, the “kindergarten father” is meticulously tying the hair of his 3-4 year old students. That simple image is no longer strange to parents here for many years.

Every morning, teachers still come to school early to pick up students and are also the last to leave after handing each child over to their parents.

After more than 30 years of dedication, the love for children remains as intact as the first day the teachers stepped into the classroom under the stilt house. For teachers who choose to teach preschool children, each day at school is not a job, but a journey of sowing seeds.

Teacher Luong Thi Ha - Principal of Thanh Quan Kindergarten (Thanh Xuan Commune) said that the school has 4 male teachers. The teachers play musical instruments well, dance flexibly and are especially skillful in combing and tying the girls' hair. Many children do not tie their hair at home, but when they come to class, they eagerly wait for the teacher to style it. That closeness helps the children love their school, their class and their teachers more. It is rare to see the teachers get angry with the children.

Teacher Ha Van Anh - Tan Ky Kindergarten is not only good at coaxing children, he is also good at creating toys.

“Parents now prefer to send their children to teachers because they know that the teachers have many years of experience and are very good at coaxing children. Many children cry when they first come to class, but when they are coaxed by teacher Sang or teacher Hac, they immediately behave. Every time it is mealtime or playtime, they cling to the teacher, some on the neck, some on the shoulder…”, teacher Nguyen Thi Hien - Acting Principal of Van Nho Kindergarten shared.

The same goes for the teachers at Thanh Quan Kindergarten or Ky Tan Kindergarten, they are not only good at coaxing children but also good at creating toys. In 2015, Mr. Luong Van Cuong - Thanh Quan Kindergarten was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Ministry of Education and Training for his achievements as an outstanding teacher in remote areas; Mr. Luong Van Sang was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Ministry of Education and Training in 2023 for his achievements in building and developing the school...

“The school is fortunate to have two teachers who are devoted to the students. Not only that, the teachers shoulder all the heavy work of the school. Here, not only do the students consider Mr. Ha Van Anh their father, but the teachers in the school also call him their father. The teacher-father passes on the passion and enthusiasm for the profession to us, the next generation of teachers,” confided Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong - Principal of Ky Tan Kindergarten.

Now, the schools are more spacious, the walls are solidly built with state funding; the school yard has a flagpole, and a small playground for children to play in after class. The next generations no longer have to study under the floor or in temporary houses that have faded over time.

Today’s “sweet fruit” is not only mature students, but also the recognition of society for male preschool teachers - those who once faced prejudice and received surprised looks when choosing the profession. Now, instead of skepticism, there is respect for those who quietly take care of every step of childhood.

According to the Department of Education and Training of Thanh Hoa province, the locality currently has 51 male staff and teachers working in preschools, of which 32 are teachers. Ms. Truong Thi Hanh - Head of the Preschool Education Department, Department of Education and Training of Thanh Hoa province said: "Preschool teachers working in the villages and hamlets have helped the education career in the mountainous areas to change positively. The change in social awareness will contribute to having more preschool teachers working in the highlands."

The seeds of letters sprout

The teacher who inspires passion

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