Good practices in Huoi Co

(Baonghean)To reach Huoi Co village, one must travel by boat along the Nam Non River, and then walk for eight hours from the center of Nhon Mai commune. Despite its remoteness, this is where the highest number of Mong students in Tuong Duong district pass and graduate from universities. The promotion of education, especially the education promotion movement of the Va clan, has played a significant role in this achievement.

Huồi Cọ, not so long ago, was the capital of opium poppy cultivation. Therefore, children here, if lucky, managed to finish primary school; most were illiterate. The villagers only thought about having enough to eat and wear, and no one dared to think about education or sending their children to school. Even in 1986, the highest level of education a person had reached was only the 7th grade – that was Mr. Và Bá Tủa.

A corner of Huoi Co village.

At that time, a highly educated person like Va Ba Tua was considered a phenomenon in the village. However, Tua's education was interrupted in the final years of junior high school because he had to follow his parents to the fields to grow opium poppies. Upon hearing this news, teacher Lo Van Tan, who was teaching in the commune at the time, was very saddened. Regretting the loss of his studious student, he discussed with his wife the possibility of bringing Tua to their home to support his education.

The Vice Chairman of Tuong Duong was Mr. Vi Tan Hoi, who at the time worked in the Education sector and regularly tutored Tua to help him catch up with his classmates. Not letting his teachers down, Tua passed the high school entrance exam and was admitted to the Provincial Ethnic Boarding School, and later to the Nghe An Medical College. After graduation, Tua was hired by the District Health Center, and later, when he had the opportunity, he pursued further studies to become a doctor. He is now the Head of the Nhon Mai Commune Health Station.

Recalling his high school days in Vinh village and then his university studies, Dr. Va Ba Tua was moved because his family was poor; sending their child to school in the district was already difficult, let alone vocational training. Despite this worry, since arriving down from the mountains, his family didn't have to worry much about tuition fees because all expenses were covered by his relatives and the villagers. Out of admiration for their kindness, after gaining an education, he voluntarily returned to his hometown to work, considering it a way of repaying their kindness. As for the people of Huoi Co, after Va Ba Tua's case, their mindset began to change. Instead of forcing their children to work in the fields, they became aware of the importance of sending their children to school and encouraging them to "strive to be as good as Tua."

To ensure the children could focus on their studies, the entire village contributed money and resources to support their education. The movement to encourage learning and talent development in Huồi Cọ village originated from this. Initially, the Và family donated rice and money to support Và Bá Tủa through university, and then it spread throughout the village. People contributed eggs, rice, salt… “Everyone gave whatever they could, as long as the children could eat and live comfortably so they could study well,” recalled village head Và Ga Sua.

In Huoi Co, it's not just about children achieving excellent or advanced grades, or passing university or college entrance exams; simply completing high school is enough for the village to "support" their education and provide encouragement. Those studying far away receive monthly support of 1.5 to 2 million VND, while those studying nearby receive a chicken or a kilogram of rice. Students who achieve good results receive a bonus of 200,000 to 400,000 VND every school year. To raise funds, the village has a unique rule: during the Education Promotion Month, each household must contribute a pair of chickens and 20 eggs. For the Education Promotion Tet (Lunar New Year), each household must contribute a pair of castrated chickens weighing over 8 kg. Instead of celebrating like in many other places, the villagers sell the donated items in the central area, using the money to buy buffaloes and cows for the fund. When a child achieves academic success, the animals are sold to support their education.

Despite its simple approach, the Scholarship Fund now owns over 40 buffaloes and cows, which have been adopted by families, not to mention dozens of chickens and pigs. As for the students of Huồi Cọ, since receiving encouragement and support, they have become more self-motivated in their studies, and the number of high-achieving students has steadily increased. To date, 17 students from Huồi Cọ have graduated from vocational schools, colleges, and universities, and nine are currently studying at professional schools. Many graduates have found employment in various fields; some are doctors, police officers, border guards, and others work in education and healthcare. This movement has also produced many children and families who are "well-behaved and academically excellent," such as the family of Mr. Va Cho Gia, who currently has two children studying at university and one at college, including Va Ba Tung, who is studying at Hue University of Medicine; the family of Mr. Va Chia Xa, whose two children, Va Ba Bi and Va Ba Kha, are also studying at Vinh University. Similarly, many children born and raised in poor families, such as Gia Y My, Va Y Mai, Gia Ba Gia, Va Ba Cau, etc., have also made great efforts and strived to attend university.

Speaking about the education promotion movement in Huoi Co village, a village official proudly stated that in Nghe An province, few places have Mong people as concerned about their children's education as Huoi Co. Furthermore, he added, "This movement is deeply ingrained in the hearts of the villagers because we understand that only literacy can help Huoi Co escape poverty sustainably, just as the song says, 'The Mong people carry literacy to the village / Literacy carries the Mong people out of poverty'..."