Teachers broke down in tears as they looked at the school devastated after the flood, with over 400 students still unable to attend classes.

GD&TĐ - After the flash flood, almost all the infrastructure and teaching equipment of Thuan Hoa B Ethnic Boarding Primary School in Thuan Hoa commune (Tuyen Quang province) were damaged.

The floodwaters receded, leaving the school in ruins.

The recent heavy rains and floods caused by the remnants of Typhoon No. 10 have severely damaged many communes and wards in the northern part of Tuyen Quang province, with Thuan Hoa commune being one of the most devastated areas. Thuan Hoa Ethnic Boarding Primary School B was also affected by the floods.

Thuan Hoa B Ethnic Boarding Primary School is submerged in floodwaters.

A week after the flood, Thuan Hoa B Ethnic Boarding Primary School was still in disarray, with mud stains still visible on the classroom walls, in some places reaching over 3 meters high. Desks, chairs, school supplies, computers, printers, and students' blankets were soaked. The teachers were all exhausted and covered in mud.

Recalling Mr. Vu Khac Lan, the school principal, "From the evening of September 30th, upon realizing the complicated flood situation, the school decided to send more than 200 boarding students home to avoid the flood."

"The flood progressed very quickly. In the early morning of October 1st, floodwaters began rising into the school. Teachers had to evacuate to a hill 500 meters away from the school to ensure their safety. The water level rose unprecedentedly high, with some areas submerged by nearly 4 meters," Mr. Lan said.

The school was in disarray after the flood.

The recent flood has turned the once-beautiful school into a desolate wasteland. Although the teachers collectively tried to move equipment and property, the floodwaters rose too quickly, submerging even the roof, resulting in the complete destruction of all equipment and belongings.

Leading us on a tour of the rooms littered with mud, Mr. Vu Khac Lan choked up: "All the students' textbooks and notebooks are completely ruined, and the library's equipment and supplies are 100% damaged. The classroom walls are stained with dark black mud, and the students' books, which were their intellectual treasures, are completely ruined and scattered under the thick mud."

The tables and chairs were swept away by the flood all the way to the school gate.

Along with that, almost all the teaching facilities and equipment, including TVs, desks, chairs, blackboards, the kitchen, and student beds, were severely damaged. Many important books, lesson plans, and teacher's records and certificates were submerged in water and severely damaged. The total estimated damage is about 2 billion VND. In general, the school is left with only its shell. The greatest stroke of luck is that there were no casualties.

Students are not yet able to return to school.

Many teachers at the school broke down in tears as they looked back at the place that had been home to generations of students, now buried under 2-3 meters of mud and sand. Some had been associated with the area for decades, experiencing many natural disasters, but had never witnessed such horrific destruction.

Books and notebooks were swept away.

According to Mr. Lan, the receding floodwaters destroyed and swept away most of the school's property, but left behind a "huge" amount of mud and soil within the school grounds. Immediately after the water receded, teachers, parents, and authorities began cleaning up.

The teachers tried to clean up and salvage whatever was still usable, wiping and drying the items. However, there was hardly anything left that was still usable…

The kitchen area was covered in mud.

Teacher Lan said: "Over the past few days, we've worked tirelessly, hoping to clean up and repair everything as soon as possible so that students can return to school. Although the property damage is significant, fortunately, no one was injured."

To date, the school cleanup is largely complete, but no one can answer the question of when students can return to school.

Replacing teaching equipment damaged by water submersion and repairing damaged facilities are facing many difficulties due to a current lack of funding.

Teacher Lan said that the school has over 400 students at the main campus, most of whom eat and sleep at the school. Currently, all the blankets, sheets, and other school supplies have been damaged by water. Therefore, the teachers' greatest wish right now is to have the students receive school supplies and other necessities so they can return to class with peace of mind.

The student dormitory was devastated by the floodwaters.

Thuan Hoa is a disadvantaged commune in Tuyen Quang province. The majority of its students are from ethnic minority groups such as the Mong, Tay, and Bo Y, and many come from poor families. Furthermore, many families suffered losses due to the recent floods, making their situation even more difficult.

For the time being, the Department of Education and Training of Tuyen Quang has announced that it will provide textbooks for the students at the school. As for school supplies, desks, chairs, and other living items, the school is proactively seeking support gradually through various channels from benefactors.

Looking towards the school peeking out from behind the storm-ravaged trees, the head of Thuan Hoa B Ethnic Boarding Primary School sadly said: "Given the current situation, we don't know when we'll be able to welcome students back to school."

Authorities and local residents are assisting the school with cleanup after the floodwaters receded.

The school needs to be rebuilt, requiring desks, chairs, cabinets, books, teaching equipment, blankets, and a kitchen so that the students can return to class. Local authorities, the education sector, and relevant agencies are urgently working to clean up and mitigate the damage. However, for the school to reopen, it urgently needs the support and cooperation of the community, organizations, individuals, businesses, and benevolent individuals both domestically and internationally.

“We earnestly hope for the support of the community and kind-hearted people near and far. Every act of sharing, whether it's a book, a pen, a set of desks and chairs, a mat, or a warm blanket… is a great source of encouragement for the teachers and students of the school,” expressed teacher Vu Khac Lan.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/thay-co-bat-khoc-nhin-truong-hoc-tan-hoang-sau-lu-hon-400-hs-chua-the-den-truong-post751437.html