The arduous journeys to school for teachers in the mountainous areas of Nghe An

Currently, Tuong Duong district has 140 satellite schools, of which 63 are primary schools and 77 are kindergartens. The distance from the satellite schools to the main schools is from 3 km or more, some are up to 20 km. To bring letters to students who are ethnic minority children in remote areas, teachers have to travel on muddy, muddy roads, walk for almost a whole day, cross forests, climb mountains, wade through streams to reach the schools.

Up to now, Huu Khuong is still considered the most remote and difficult commune in the province. Because it is located in the middle of Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir, the terrain is complex, the traffic is difficult, significantly affecting the socio-economic development process. Therefore, Huu Khuong commune is likened to an "oasis". To reach Huu Khuong commune is a very difficult, arduous and dangerous journey. To reach Huu Khuong commune, you have to go through Pha Danh, Huoi Tu, My Ly communes of Ky Son district, then follow Tay Nghe An road to Mai Son, Nhon Mai, this distance is about more than 200 km. If you do not want to do that, you have to travel by bus or motorbike to the foot of Ban Ve Hydropower Dam, then take a motorboat for about 2 hours, then walk for about 1 hour.

Having worked in Huu Khuong commune for nearly 10 years, Ms. Vo Thi Thanh - a teacher at Huu Khuong Kindergarten has taught at almost all schools in Huu Khuong commune. Ms. Thanh said: “To get to school, it takes us many hours. Many sections require climbing mountains and wading through streams. Danger often lurks. There are schools that can be accessed by motorbike, but the forest roads, many steep, winding, slippery, muddy passes when it rains, are very dangerous... If we do not love our job and our students, we certainly do not have enough strength and courage to overcome difficulties.”

Although the geographical distance is not as far as the schools in Mai Son, Nhon Mai or Huu Khuong communes. But to get to the school in Ca Moong village, Luong Minh commune (Tuong Duong) still takes a lot of time, danger always lurks for teachers, especially when going to school on a rainy and stormy day.

“To get to Ca Moong school, it is already difficult on a normal day, but on a rainy day it is extremely difficult. The forest road, with many steep, slippery, muddy passes, is extremely difficult for male teachers, and for female teachers it is a real torture. When I first came here, I mainly walked, but after a while I had to muster up the courage to ride a motorbike, because walking took too much time. Now I can't remember how many times I fell off my bike,” said Ms. Loc Thi Quynh, a teacher at Ca Moong Kindergarten.

Ms. Vo Thi Tuyet Chinh - Deputy Head of the Department of Education and Training of Tuong Duong district said: "As a mountainous district, one of the most difficult in the province, transportation is very difficult. Teachers working in remote areas still face many difficulties in teaching when they have to live far from home, lacking all aspects of both material and spiritual. Especially teachers in the preschool and primary school levels. Because of their love for the profession and children, teachers have defied difficulties and dangers to teach and cultivate people for the children of ethnic minorities in the highlands."

It can be said that teachers in the highlands, especially teachers living in the highlands and border areas, are still facing lurking dangers every day. However, many generations of teachers have strived to overcome all the harsh challenges of nature and socio-economic difficulties to spread knowledge in the mountains.