For the holistic development of childrenin the digital age
Nghe An currently has nearly 500,000 members of the Youth Union, including children and teenagers, participating in activities at 887 Youth Union branches throughout the province. Entering the digital age with many opportunities and challenges, caring for and guiding children to develop comprehensively in terms of intellect, physical health, morality, and life skills is becoming an extremely important requirement.
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To commemorate the 84th anniversary of the founding of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers Organization (May 15, 1941 - May 15, 2025), Nghe An Newspaper had a conversation with Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung - a Level I Central Trainer, a nationally outstanding Young Pioneers Team leader, currently working at Khai Son Primary and Secondary School, Anh Son district.
PV: We understand that the Khai Son Primary and Secondary School's Youth Union, despite being located in a mountainous area, is one of the exemplary units in the entire province with a long history of outstanding achievements. Could you briefly introduce the results that the Youth Union has achieved in the past?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung:Currently, the Khai Son Primary and Secondary School's Youth Union has over 750 children and members. Over the past years, the unit has achieved the title of "Outstanding and Exemplary Strong Youth Union," receiving a Certificate of Merit from the Central Youth Union in the 2022-2023 school year, and has been commended and rewarded by the Provincial and District Youth Councils for many years. The Youth Union has had students who achieved the title of Excellent Team Leader at the provincial level in the 2022-2023 school year; and students who achieved the title of Excellent Star Leader at the provincial level in the 2023-2024 school year.
Recently, the Khai Son Primary and Secondary School's Youth Union celebrated a moment of joy when a student from the school became one of three representatives from Nghe An province to receive the Kim Dong Award at the national level for the 2023-2024 school year. This is a prestigious award for Youth Union members nationwide. In addition, two students from the school also won high prizes in the "We Tell Stories About Uncle Ho" competition at the district and provincial levels in 2025.
Regarding myself, after nearly 20 years of dedication as a music teacher and head of the Youth Union, I was fortunate to receive the title of excellent teacher at the provincial level and excellent head of the Youth Union at the provincial level in the 2019-2020 school year. In 2022, I achieved Level 1 Central-level trainer status, set a record in conducting Youth Union ceremonies, and was awarded the Excellent Youth Union Leader Badge by the Central Committee of the Youth Union.
In 2024, I had the honor of being recognized as an outstanding Youth Union leader nationwide, and this year, I am very happy to represent Nghe An in the "Melodies of Pride" program with the theme "The Red Scarf on My Shoulder," organized by the Central Youth Union Council.
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These are all extremely meaningful milestones. However, the greatest happiness is still being able to accompany the children on their journey to adulthood, to see them, despite their hardships and difficulties, strive to overcome challenges and continue the fine traditions of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers Organization.
PV: Looking back on nearly 20 years of working with the Youth Union, how do you perceive the changes in children at each stage, especially in today's digital society?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung:I remember that when we first started working, we didn't even know about mobile phones. All information gathering and reporting had to be done in paper form. The distance between schools, between communes, districts, and provinces, and from rural areas to cities was quite far, which significantly limited the working environment for the students at that time.
However, nowadays, the gap between regions is no longer as large as before. Students now have access to a richer source of knowledge and are encouraged to develop their creativity and open-minded thinking. With the strong development of digital technology, all activities and movements of children have been implemented in a vibrant way. The Youth Union does not stop at written reports but also expresses itself through images and video clips, which are disseminated through channels such as Facebook, Zalo, as well as the official information pages of the Youth Union and the Department of Education and Training. Thanks to this, the spread of Youth Union activities towards children is faster and more widespread.
However, alongside these advantages, children also face many new challenges and pressures. First, there is the pressure of studying and health issues. In the context of a large volume of knowledge and increasingly demanding academic requirements, students' mental and physical health are not adequately addressed or advised. As a result, school stress is becoming increasingly common.
Regarding communication skills, in the past, students' learning and activities mainly took place directly through the classroom, textbooks, and extracurricular activities. Today, the strong development of social media helps students access information more quickly, but it also increases the risk of lacking direct communication skills, being easily influenced by misinformation, and the risk of technology addiction.
In addition, school violence and cyberbullying are also on the rise, causing many students to suffer psychological trauma, affecting their self-confidence and personality development.
PV: In light of these challenges, what do you think the Youth Union needs to do to guide, support, and empower the children to overcome them?
Ms. Nguyen Thi ChungBased on my practical experience and personal observations, I believe that to develop the Youth Union's activities, we can focus on three key solutions. First, we need to establish and effectively maintain school counseling and school health teams to provide comprehensive care for students' physical and mental health. Teachers are not only instructors but also reliable support systems for students to turn to when facing difficulties or problems. Through these counseling teams, teachers can help students orient their thinking, choose the right actions, and become more resilient to academic pressure and common psychological issues.
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Next, it is necessary to strengthen the organization of extracurricular activities on healthcare and life skills such as: first aid skills; sex education for school-aged children; accident and injury prevention... These activities not only equip students with self-protection skills but also create a safe and friendly environment, helping them to readily share and seek support when needed.
Finally, it is necessary to equip students with the skills to use technology and access the internet safely and healthily. Social media is a double-edged sword; it can help people utilize it appropriately for intellectual development, but it can also be a source of harm if misused. Therefore, equipping students with the skills to identify misinformation and use the internet for the right purposes is essential. The Youth Union also needs to coordinate closely with relevant departments and agencies to organize awareness campaigns and disseminate laws related to online safety, while integrating this content into Youth Union activities to make it easily accessible and memorable for students.
In my opinion, if implemented synchronously and flexibly, these three groups of solutions will practically contribute to helping children overcome challenges and develop comprehensively in terms of intellect, character, and skills in the digital age.
PV: Many people still believe that educating students is primarily the responsibility of schools, while downplaying the role of families and society. What are your thoughts on this viewpoint?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung:In my opinion, only when families, schools, and society work closely together and support each other in education can we equip children with a solid moral foundation, helping them confidently step into the future with a full complement of knowledge, skills, and character.
Because the family is always the first educational environment, it has the most profound influence on the formation of each student's personality. Parents are not only nurturers, but also the first teachers, teaching children the first lessons in morality, behavior, and responsibility to themselves and the community.
Schools, in their role of imparting knowledge and developing life skills, continue to cultivate a solid foundation of morality and knowledge in students. Moral education in schools is not only demonstrated through regular lessons but is also nurtured through extracurricular activities and youth group movements, helping students develop critical thinking, a sense of responsibility, and compassion.
Society – the broader environment – is where students encounter and interact with the diverse values of real life. Society has a responsibility to honor good deeds while also condemning deviant behaviors, thereby contributing to building a healthy, civilized, and compassionate living environment.
PV: To spread the Youth Union movement widely, could you share some effective models and meaningful initiatives that you have implemented to attract a large number of students and equip them with essential life skills?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung:During my time working with the school, I and the school staff have implemented many interesting models and initiatives to attract students to participate in Youth Union activities, while also training them in practical life skills. Some typical models include: the "Building Beautiful Friendships" model, the "Say No to School Violence" model, etc. Accordingly, the Youth Union has established clubs such as: the Study Club, the Sports Club, the "Helping Each Other" Club… creating beneficial playgrounds, guiding students towards a healthy lifestyle, and building a spirit of solidarity in a friendly and safe learning environment.
Organizing activities to support disadvantaged students in the Youth Union, people with disabilities in the area, and people affected by natural disasters contributes to cultivating in them a sense of responsibility, compassion, and sharing in life. The Youth Union has also implemented new activities such as Semaphore flag dancing during schoolyard activities. Previously, Semaphore flag dancing in Nghe An was given little attention, but when I participated in the 2022 National Kim Dong Training Camp in the Northern region, I received formal training in this subject. Semaphore flag dancing is not simply a physical activity but also a visual communication skill, helping students improve their communication skills, develop critical thinking, and enhance teamwork abilities.
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In response to the students' wishes, I and the school have focused on integrating experiential activities into the Youth Union's work program. These activities are developed in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training and the school's professional plan, ensuring both the fulfillment of educational tasks and the creation of an environment for students to develop practical skills. These experiential activities are linked to monthly themes and major holidays throughout the year, such as: a field trip to a Border Guard Post on December 22nd; an "Art of Silk Flower Making" activity on October 20th; a "Artistic Cake Tray" competition on March 8th; and the creation of a school magazine to celebrate November 20th…
PV: On the occasion of the 84th anniversary of the founding of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers Organization (May 15, 1941 - May 15, 2025), what message would you like to convey to the young pioneers – the future owners of the country?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung:I hope that the young Pioneers will always be proud of the glorious traditions of the Pioneer Organization, cherish the great contributions of previous generations, especially young heroic figures like Kim Dong, Le Van Tam, Vo Thi Sau, Nguyen Ba Ngoc...
The red scarves on the shoulders of the children are not only a beautiful symbol of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers' tradition, but also a reminder to each member of willpower, responsibility, and gratitude. Let us always remember May 15, 1941 – the day the Young Pioneers' Organization was founded – and the example of its first member, Kim Dong.
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President Ho Chi Minh once advised: "Young people should do small things, according to their abilities" – this simple yet profound teaching remains just as valuable today. I believe that, with willpower, pride, and unwavering effort, you will study well, train diligently, nurture beautiful dreams, and one day contribute to building a strong and prosperous Vietnam, standing shoulder to shoulder with the world's leading nations, as Uncle Ho wished!
Interviewer: Thank you for the conversation!
