Building "Smoke-free schools" to ensure student safety

Recently, Binh Thanh Secondary School (Binh Thanh Commune, Thai Nguyen) has actively implemented propaganda and education activities on preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco, aiming to build a clean, safe and smoke-free school environment.

This is an important step in improving the health of students and teachers, while also forming a positive, healthy lifestyle in the young generation. Reporters of the Vietnam Women's Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Tran Van Hung, the school's principal, about the above topic.

+ Sir, in the past time, what specific activities has Binh Thanh Secondary School implemented to propagate and educate students about preventing the harmful effects of tobacco?

Mr. Tran Van Hung: Recognizing the importance of protecting students' health, the school has synchronously deployed many diverse, close and age-appropriate forms of propaganda. A typical example is the contest "Learning about the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms in the 2025-2026 school year" with the slogan "Say no to tobacco - Protect health, protect the future".

The contest was organized enthusiastically, attracting all students to participate through knowledge test sections, situational dramatization, group discussions, etc., helping them understand deeply, remember for a long time and easily apply in practice.

In addition, the school also integrates propaganda through school radio, billboards, posters, thematic activities, and flag-raising ceremonies at the beginning of the week to help students be regularly reminded, strengthen awareness, and form the right behavior in saying no to cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

+ In your opinion, how effective is this propaganda activity for students and parents?

Mr. Tran Van Hung: The most obvious effect is the change in students' awareness and behavior. They not only understand the harmful effects of traditional cigarettes but also know how to distinguish new products such as electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, shisha, etc. that are infiltrating today's youth.

More importantly, they know how to refuse and behave appropriately when meeting friends who use tobacco, and at the same time become active propagandists in their families and communities.

Xây dựng — Mr. Tran Van Hung, Principal of Binh Thanh Secondary School.

We also received very good cooperation from parents in educating their children, supervising and encouraging them to fulfill their commitment not to smoke or try e-cigarettes. Thanks to that, the school environment becomes cleaner, safer and healthier.

+ How does the school implement the construction of a "Smoke-free school", sir?

Mr. Tran Van Hung: Implementing Plan No. 1017/KH-SGDĐT of the Department of Education and Training of Thai Nguyen province on tobacco harm prevention in the education sector for the 2025-2026 school year and the direction of the People's Committee of Binh Thanh commune, we have deployed the plan to build a "Smoke-free school" right from the beginning of the school year.

In addition to propaganda activities, the school issued internal regulations strictly prohibiting smoking on campus and required all staff, teachers, employees and students to sign a commitment to strictly comply.

The school also focuses on regular inspection, monitoring, and reminders, and includes the "no smoking" criterion in weekly competition assessments between classes and annual assessments of groups and individuals in the school.

The school's goal is not only to ban smoking, but more importantly to form self-awareness and responsibility in each student in protecting their own health and the community.

+ Can you share the school's orientation in the coming time to continue maintaining and spreading this model?

Mr. Tran Van Hung: In the coming time, Binh Thanh Secondary School will continue to innovate propaganda methods, integrating educational content about the harmful effects of tobacco into subjects, extracurricular activities, arts and sports .

The school will expand propaganda to parents and the community around the school, coordinate with local organizations to create a common movement - building "Smoke-free residential areas", "Smoke-free families" associated with the model: "Smoke-free schools".

We hope that from the school environment, health protection awareness will spread more strongly in society, contributing to the formation of a young generation that lives positively, healthily and says no to tobacco in all forms.

+ Thank you!

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/xay-dung-truong-hoc-khong-khoi-thuoc-dam-bao-an-toan-cho-hoc-sinh-20251106143304672.htm