Teacher for more than 14 years 'long-distance support' for students in border areas

In the sunny and windy land of Ea Sup in Dak Lak province, there is a teacher who traveled more than 60 kilometers to not only 'sow knowledge' to students in the border area, but also do his best so that the children can live healthy and study well.

That is Mr. Kieu Quang Tuyen, a teacher and Team Leader at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Primary School (Ia Rve Commune, Ea Sup District, Dak Lak Province). After more than 14 years of working, he was recognized by Dak Lak Province as an "Outstanding Young Teacher" and recently he was one of three teachers in the province to be honored in the program "Sharing with Teachers 2025" jointly organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union, the Ministry of Education and Training and Thien Long Group.

My hands are no longer the same as before, I have to endure the dull pain, but I will still stand strong and continue my education work. Because, I believe that the heart that loves the profession will always be strong.

Teacher Kieu Quang Tuyen

From school nurse to elementary school teacher

Born in Ea Sup commune - a difficult area of ​​Dak Lak province - Mr. Tuyen deeply understood the value of knowledge and wished to become a teacher. However, due to his family's wishes, he switched to studying medicine and became a school health worker at Ya To Mot Kindergarten (Dak Lak). The new job helped him get closer to children, but also rekindled the passion for teaching that he had always cherished.

During the days of witnessing students lacking learning conditions, he realized that taking care of their health is necessary, but helping them have the opportunity to learn is really important. With encouragement from his family, he decided to continue studying for a second degree in primary education to pursue the path he had abandoned.

In 2020, amid the complicated developments of the pandemic, Mr. Tuyen boldly applied to change his position from medical staff to primary school teacher, and volunteered to work at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Primary School - a border school more than 60 km from his home.

Teacher Quang Tuyen gives gifts to students in the program "Long-distance support"

PHOTO: NVCC

In the first days of teaching, Mr. Tuyen had to face countless difficulties such as new curriculum, new methods, and poor teaching conditions while most of the students were ethnic minorities. However, the difficulties did not deter the male teacher. He proactively innovated methods, integrated games and creative activities into his lessons to help students absorb and love learning.

"In Ia Rve commune, I live in the love of my students. As long as they still need me, I will continue on the path I have chosen," Mr. Tuyen shared.

By the 2020-2021 school year, Mr. Tuyen was assigned by the school to be the General Leader of the Youth Union. Thanks to that, he has implemented many initiatives recognized by the People's Committee of Ea Sup district such as enhancing life skills education, designing interactive games in natural and social subjects and building a moral education model suitable for primary school students.

Initiate "Long Distance Relay"

In addition to teaching, Mr. Tuyen also persistently finds ways to help disadvantaged children who are at risk of dropping out of school through the "Long-distance Support" program. This program was launched in the context of the epidemic when many families lost their income, and parents were stuck in the city and could not send money home to their children.

"During the Covid pandemic, some students only ate white rice with fish sauce. A box of instant noodles or a few notebooks cannot solve the problem. What they need is regular support to feel secure in going to school," Mr. Tuyen worried.

Teacher Quang Tuyen came to students' homes to give new notebooks and bags at the beginning of the school year.

PHOTO: NVCC

After learning from another district teacher's model, Mr. Tuyen began to adjust and build a program suitable for his commune, named "Long-distance support". The program supports 300,000 VND/month for disadvantaged students, operated by the cooperation of benefactors. However, according to Mr. Tuyen, the biggest challenge is maintaining steady resources in the context of the epidemic and ensuring the trust of benefactors from afar.

"The biggest difficulty lies in the word 'long-term'. Mobilizing a large sum of money to give a one-time gift may not be difficult. But convincing donors to commit to regular support every month, year after year, is an extremely big challenge," Mr. Tuyen shared.

At one point, the number of students needing help reached more than 20 students per month. He and his colleagues both called for help and used their own money to ensure that no student was interrupted in receiving support.

From the initial 4 students, the program has helped 24 students during the school year. "For me, the greatest achievement is that until today, all the students on the list are still continuing to go to school," Mr. Tuyen said proudly.

Among the students he has helped, Mr. Tuyen still clearly remembers the story of Nguyen Thanh Danh. Danh lived with his grandparents in a small, makeshift house in the middle of the field. His daily meals consisted of white rice with soy sauce, and in more "fancy" meals, water hyacinth. When he entered first grade, Danh was a shy, introverted boy, even showing signs of autism. Many times, the teacher took him back to the dormitory, chatted with him, and invited him to dinner before his grandmother picked him up when it was already dark.

"When 'Long Distance Support' came to Danh, he not only received material support but also care and sharing from many sides. From a shy boy, Danh is now in middle school, gradually becoming active, confident and a good student. Seeing him grow up, I know all the efforts are worth it," said Mr. Tuyen.

Teacher Quang Tuyen (left cover) gives bicycles to disadvantaged students

PHOTO: NVCC

Besides "Long-distance support", Mr. Tuyen also implemented many other support activities such as "Warm clothes for children", "Two friends progressing together", "Helping friends go to school", "White shirts for friends",... helping nearly a hundred students with books, clothes, bicycles or necessities so that they can continue to go to school, study and pursue their dreams.

Overcoming adversity

Life on the border is difficult, but for Mr. Tuyen, challenges are not a reason to give up. In 2023, when his father suffered a stroke, he had to take care of his family and take on the responsibility of his job. In October 2024, the biggest event in his life happened when his father passed away. Before he could recover, he had a traffic accident on the way to school, causing his arm holding the chalk to be severely broken.

"The doctors said I might have to live the rest of my life with an invalid arm. But even though my body is weak, I still won't give up the job I've chosen. My arm is no longer the same as before, I have to endure the dull pain, but I will still stand strong and continue my education work. Because, I believe that the heart that loves the profession will always be strong," said Mr. Tuyen.

This spirit makes colleagues always comment that he is an exemplary teacher, sincere and full of determination. Ms. Ho Thi Thuy Dung, also a teacher at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Primary School, commented that her colleague not only teaches but also truly "lives with the profession" when he always cares deeply about each student's situation, remembering clearly which student has to walk 5-7 km to school, which student is likely to drop out of school because their parents work far away from home.

"Mr. Tuyen is a persistent, responsible, kind person and has a strong belief that education can make a change," Ms. Dung shared.

For teacher Quang Tuyen, seeing students continue to go to school makes all fatigue seem to disappear.

PHOTO: NVCC

Not only colleagues, students also feel the teacher's heart. Dinh Kha Han, a student of the school, said: "In my eyes, teacher Tuyen is very gentle and kind. He always guides and lets me participate in programs such as 'Small Plans', 'Vioedu Math and Vietnamese'. In addition, in class, he also gives notebooks, new clothes and pays special attention to students in difficulty."

After more than 14 years of teaching, Mr. Tuyen never thought of doing anything great. He only chose to devote himself to his profession, his students, and the difficult border area.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thay-giao-hon-14-nam-tiep-suc-duong-dai-cho-hoc-tro-vung-bien-185251121184535903.htm