Police officers went to Dan Lai's house to encourage her to take the 10th grade entrance exam and then drove her there.
The situation of students skipping or not taking the 10th grade entrance exam is not uncommon in the highland districts. However, in order to help the students complete their high school program, close to the exam date, authorities have been going around encouraging candidates to take the exam.
The examination board of Muong Qua High School (Con Cuong) is quite unique, as its catchment area only includes two communes: Mon Son and Luc Da. The school principal once confided: "Every exam season, the school has to go to two junior high schools in the area to recruit students and encourage them to participate in the 10th grade entrance exam. In many special cases, teachers have to go to each student's home to encourage them to take the exam."
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This year, on the first day of registration, Le Van Cuong, a student from Dan Lai, was the only candidate absent.
The phone call from the Party Secretary of Mon Son commune to Major Lay Van Thin, the Chief of Police of Mon Son commune, came at 5:00 AM this morning, just over two hours before the candidates were scheduled to enter the examination rooms. Upon receiving information that candidate Le Van Cuong was absent, Major Lay Van Thin directly called the school to verify the address.
Through our conversation, we learned that this candidate lives in Tan Son village, more than 10km from the school. The distance isn't too far, but the journey is difficult. Cuong's circumstances are also quite unique because his parents work far away, and he lives with his 60-year-old grandfather.
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To make it on time for the exam, the head of the commune's police force, along with police officers, immediately went to the boy's home to assess the situation. When they arrived, Cuong was still sound asleep.
Waking up to go to the exam, this candidate was quite surprised, even refusing to go. "I'm not going to take the exam. I'm afraid I won't pass, and besides, my parents don't have money for me to go to school, or money to buy a motorbike," Major Thin recounted.
During the conversation, Cuong confessed that he didn't want to go to school and preferred to stay home to work on the farm or go to the South with his parents.
Because the chances of getting into a public school were very high and they didn't want Cuong to miss the important exam, Major Lay Van Thin and the police officers encouraged and motivated Cuong to take the exam.
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After being persuaded, Le Van Cuong got up, freshened up, changed his clothes, and took the necessary documents to the exam center. Along the way, the police officers even bought Cuong a plate of sticky rice so he could have breakfast.
It is known that during the exam days, the police forces in Mon Son commune worked alongside the school to secure the exam site and manage traffic flow.
Given the unique characteristics of border and mountainous areas, the officers also carry out ideological work, encouraging students to review their lessons and attend exams regularly.
Major Lay Van Thin also shared: "I am also from an ethnic minority group, growing up in the high mountainous district of Tuong Duong. Therefore, I understand the thoughts, feelings, and difficulties of students in mountainous areas. From the bottom of my heart, I hope that all of them can go to school, at least to graduate from 12th grade so that they have knowledge and skills before going to work."
