Parents give thousands of likes to principal for “exchanging flowers for gifts”

As Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20 is approaching, many parents expressed their regret that bouquets and flower baskets costing from several hundred thousand to over 1 million VND are only displayed for a few days and then thrown away.

The open letter of refusal to accept flowers from Mr. Le Hong Thai, Principal of Phan Van Tri Primary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, on the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20, received support from many parents: "Every year, on Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20, the school receives many congratulatory flower baskets. However, these flowers are only used for a few days and then thrown away, which is a waste. This year, the economic situation is difficult, the school respectfully requests that donors, businesses and organizations, instead of giving flowers, please change the form by giving notebooks, milk and sports equipment so that the school can reward the students."

Many parents, upon reading this open letter, exclaimed: Wonderful! Thousands of likes to support the principal! Welcome the principal!…

Supporting this action of the principal of Phan Van Tri Primary School, Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang (Ha Dong District, Hanoi) said: On this occasion, seeing the bouquets and flower baskets given to teachers and the school worth from several hundred to millions of dong being thrown into the trash after a few days, I "felt so sorry". It was really such a waste! The teacher called for notebooks, milk, and sports equipment to be given to students instead of flowers. I saw that this was a teacher who always thought about his students.

According to Ms. Trang, to make November 20 more meaningful and not wasteful, schools should also refuse to accept flowers, instead accepting practical gifts to give to poor students in the school, to give to poor people in remote areas...

November 20 is an occasion for students and parents to show special gratitude to their teachers.

November 20 is an occasion for students and parents to express their special gratitude to teachers and those working in theeducation sector. This is a beautiful tradition of respecting teachers from the past to the present of the Vietnamese people. Ms. Doan Thu Thuy (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) said that giving flowers or gifts to teachers is something students should do. However, those gifts show gratitude and have spiritual meaning. Parents should not give envelopes with the purpose of making teachers "care" more about their children.

The practice of principals writing open letters "exchanging flowers for gifts" has been carried out by some schools since previous years. In 2023, the principal of Nguyen Van Luong Secondary School (District 6, Ho Chi Minh City) also wrote an open letter to parents, businesses, and donors about the exchange of flowers and cakes for students by giving health insurance cards to disadvantaged students. The school has 89 disadvantaged students who cannot afford health insurance cards, each health insurance card costs 680,400 VND. After the open letter was issued, parents and organizations donated 200 health insurance cards to the school. The school saved the remaining cards to take care of the students during the Lunar New Year last year.

Similarly, To Hieu Primary School, Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province, also sent an open letter to parents, businesses, and donors. Instead of giving flowers, the school would like to exchange it with giving health insurance cards to 55 students in difficult circumstances.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/phu-huynh-tang-nghin-like-cho-hieu-truong-doi-hoa-lay-qua-20241113175332811.htm