Uncle Ho with the cause of education, encouraging learning and talent

(Baonghean.vn) - During his lifetime, Uncle Ho paid great attention to education. He once said, "An ignorant nation is a weak nation." Study to make the country strong, the people rich, our people escape slavery, poverty, backwardness, and maintain the sovereignty and security of the Fatherland. He encouraged cadres, party members, all classes of people, youth, students to promote the nation's tradition of "loving to learn", to be eager to learn, to persevere in studying to participate in the cause of building the country.

On September 2, 1945, Vietnam became independent with over 90% of its population still illiterate. More than anyone else, President Ho Chi Minh was also the first person to understand the danger of this illiteracy problem. On September 3, 1945, he chaired the first meeting of the Government Council of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. At the meeting, he outlined six urgent tasks, one of which was to launch a campaign against illiteracy, which he called "eradicating ignorance".

Uncle Ho visited the popular education class in Luong Yen ward, Hanoi on May 27, 1956.

Then he signed Decree No. 17 to establish the National Education Service to be in charge of fighting illiteracy in the whole country. He wrote a letter calling for the fight against illiteracy to his compatriots.:"Vietnamese people! Want to maintain independence. Want to make the people strong and the country rich. Every Vietnamese must know their rights, their duties, must have new knowledge to be able to participate in the work of building the country...".

The important task that plays a decisive role in the future of the nation is placed on the shoulders of the young generation - the future owners of the country. In September 1945, on the first school opening day of independent Vietnam, Uncle Ho sent a letter to students across the country. The letter read: "Whether Vietnam's mountains and rivers become beautiful or not, whether the Vietnamese people can step up to the stage of glory to stand shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the five continents or not depends largely on your studies."

During the difficult days in the Viet Bac resistance base, despite being busy with thousands of tasks leading the resistance, he did not forget about his children's education. He kindly instructed his beloved grandchildren:

"Children listen to Uncle Ho's instructions.
Must love country, must focus on studying.
Work hard, practice hard
Must keep discipline to be a good child
I love you all so much
I send you thousands of kisses.

From a very early age, he affirmed that educating the younger generation to continue the revolutionary career of their ancestors was extremely important. He advised: Educating children is a science, it is necessary to teach them to love the Fatherland, love their compatriots, love labor, maintain discipline, know hygiene, and study culture, but at the same time, we must preserve the children's cheerfulness, liveliness, naturalness, spontaneity, and youthfulness, and not turn them into "little old men". The government, organizations, and all people have the responsibility to help educate children.

In 1951, on International Children's Day, he sent a letter to the youth and children nationwide: "Competition in studying, competition in increasing production, competition in helping families of war invalids and martyrs."

Uncle Ho is watching a child spell while visiting a kindergarten class on Hang Than Street, Hanoi, in 1958.

In March 1955, sending a letter to the National Education Conference, he pointed out the heavy but glorious responsibility of a teacher: "Taking care of and educating the people's children to become good citizens, good workers, good soldiers, good cadres of the country". He advised the students of the Central Mountainous Pedagogical School: "Your task is to compete in studying so that later you can contribute to the expansion of your homeland and the building of our beloved Vietnam".

In a letter to teachers and students on the occasion of the new school year (October 1955), he clearly stated the purpose of the school was to train good citizens, good future owners of the country. He emphasized the mission of the school: "First of all, we must strive to eliminate the remaining colonial educational influences such as indifference to society, studying to get degrees, and teaching by brainwashing. And, we need to build the ideology: teaching and learning to serve the Fatherland, serving the people. The school must be closely linked to the reality of the country and the lives of the people. Teachers and students, depending on their circumstances and abilities, need to participate in social work that benefits the country and the people.".The letter also mentioned the tasks of each level of university, secondary school, primary school, and the responsibility of the family to closely connect with the school.

Uncle Ho visited and talked with teachers and students of southern schools in Hai Phong.

On March 23, 1956, when visiting and speaking at the National General Education Congress, he praised the achievements and efforts of the education sector and encouraged everyone to strive to overcome difficulties. He concluded: "Teachers must find ways to teach. What to teach and how to teach so that students can understand quickly, remember for a long time, and progress quickly. Teaching and learning must follow the needs of the nation and the State. Good teachers and good students provide enough cadres for agriculture, industry, the economic and cultural sectors. That is the glorious mission of teachers."

When speaking at Chu Van An School - Hanoi, He noted the issue of education in talent and morality: "In education, one must not only have general knowledge but also revolutionary morality. To have talent one must have morality. To have talent without morality is harmful to the country. To have morality without talent is like a Buddha sitting in a temple, not helping anyone."

In May 1961, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Young Pioneers, he advised the children to do 5 things:

- Love the Fatherland, love the people
- Study well, work well
- Good solidarity, good discipline
- Keep good hygiene
- Modest, honest, brave.

Uncle Ho's teachings are simple, practical and easy to remember. Almost every Vietnamese knows these precious teachings by heart.

On May 19, 1969, on his 79th birthday, he sent a letter of praise to the young people of Phu Man village, Ham Son commune, Yen Phong (Ha Bac). He kindly encouraged them: "Although you are still young, you can do things that benefit the country and the people. You are the future masters of our country."

Uncle Ho and children from Lang Sen village, Kim Lien commune, Nam Dan, Nghe An visited his hometown.

Three months before his passing, he wrote an article titled "Raising the responsibility for caring for and educating children" published in the People's newspaper on June 1, 1969. He advised the entire Party, the entire people, everyone, and every sector to do better in educating children. "They are the future owners of the country."

The views and thoughts of President Ho Chi Minh from the first days of the founding of the country until his passing on improving people's knowledge, training human resources, nurturing talents, training talented, virtuous, patriotic, and socialist-loving people are also the fundamental issues that our Party, State and people have raised and required for an education system that meets the requirements of the cause of national renewal "on par with the world powers" in the 21st century.

Peace

(Synthetic)