Seminar on Vinh National School - Huynh Thuc Khang High School marking 100 years

THE FIRST CULTURAL CENTER OF ARTISTS

Vinh National School - Huynh Thuc Khang High School was established in 1920, in the context that there was no high school in the province and Nghe An students who finished primary school and wanted to continue their studies only had to go to Hue or Hanoi.

Panorama of the workshop Vinh National School - Huynh Thuc Khang High School marking 100 years of reaching out for integration. Photo: Duc Anh

The origin of Vinh National School, its purpose and significance were also analyzed by the delegates attending the conference for various reasons. The opening speech of the conference pointed out that, from the beginning of the 20th century, the French soon realized that Nghe An was a land of studiousness and “An Tinh is the cradle of outstanding intellectuals”.

Therefore, the opening of a high school in Vinh is explained as "First of all, it is a matter of tradition, because Vinh is a place with many famous Confucian scholars, and also a place where every three years there is a regional exam - the door to advancement into the mandarinate".

Chairing the scientific conference. Photo: Duc Anh

In fact, with a location that has a “quite abundant supply of students”, right from the first year of its establishment, Vinh National School has received great attention from parents and students from the four provinces of Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh. The number of students has increased rapidly over the years, especially at the secondary level.

Only after 3 years of establishment, on November 26, 1923, the Governor General of Indochina issued a decree recognizing Quoc Hoc Vinh as a secondary school. This was different from Quoc Hoc Quy Nhon, which, although established at the same time, had to wait 6 years to be recognized due to lack of students and facilities, and academic performance did not meet the set criteria.

Mr. Pham Xuan Can - former Deputy Director of Department of Science and Technology

Many articles submitted to the conference also pointed out the unique characteristics of the school. According to Associate Professor, Dr. Van Ngoc Thanh - Hanoi Pedagogical University: The establishment of Vinh National School as well as the development of the Indochina parish by the French was part of the intention to "civilize" the colony, spread French and Western culture, thereby propagating and promoting the "strength" of the "Motherland", subduing the will and spirit of the Vietnamese people. More directly, the opening of Vinh National School was aimed at training a team of people with a cultural level sufficient for the French to use.

Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Khoa spoke at the workshop. Photo: Duc Anh

However, beyond colonial goals, the school played a role as a center for intellectual training for Nghe An, for the people of Central Vietnam, and for the nation. Vinh National School can also be considered one of the first cultural centers of Nghe An people in particular, and the North Central region in general.

In particular, the development of colonial education led to consequences beyond the expectations of the French. Therefore, along with the process of receiving Western education, the school's students "showed an attitude of opposition to French colonial rule" and actively participated in revolutionary movements.

The school's tradition is the foundation for Vinh National School - Huynh Thuc Khang High School to integrate and develop further. Photo: Duc Anh

Vinh National School is also a special school, where many famous researchers and scholars are taught. The school also provides leading researchers, scientists, political, cultural and social activists for the whole country.

Currently, in the political field, the school has 18 alumni who are members of the Party Central Committee. Among them, there are 3 Deputy Prime Ministers, 16 Ministers and many Deputy Ministers, Secretaries, Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees and thousands of officers, academicians, professors, doctors, writers, poets and famous artists.

REACHING FOR INTEGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT

In 2020, Vinh National School - Huynh Thuc Khang High School turns 100 years old. On the journey of construction and development, the school has a long and glorious tradition, leaving its own mark, the hundred-year mark of the century school, especially reaching the goal of building Huynh Thuc Khang High School according to an advanced and modern educational model, suitable for the development trend of the country and international integration.

Many researchers, former teachers and students of the school attended the conference. Photo: Duc Anh

With 7 direct presentations and nearly 20 invested and dedicated articles, the scientific conference "Vinh National School - Huynh Thuc Khang High School, 100-year mark, reaching out for integration" focused on discussing the following issues: History of the school's formation and development through the periods; discussing achievements, results and 100-year mark of Huynh Thuc Khang.

From there, clarify the role of the school in the province's education; propose solutions for the development of Huynh Thuc Khang High School in accordance with the educational and training goals in the new period, becoming an advanced and modern school in line with the trend of international integration.

Delegates speaking at the workshop. Photo: Duc Anh

The research papers and opinions presented at the Conference have many new, profound and comprehensive contents, expressing the authors' deep feelings, concerns, attachment and responsibility to the School.

The workshop is an opportunity for scientists, generations of staff, teachers and students to meet, exchange and discuss the school's history and traditions; to evaluate the achievements and lessons learned in the process of building and growing over the past time; from there, to propose solutions to guide the school's development in the coming time.

A class of students at Huynh Thuc Khang High School. Photo: PV

This is also an opportunity for generations of teachers and students, especially today's young generation of Vinh National School - Huynh Thuc Khang High School, to have a deeper understanding and have objective and scientific assessments, to see the honor and responsibility of themselves for having been working and studying at this school with a century-long tradition.

During 100 years of construction and development, Huynh Thuc Khang High School has trained tens of thousands of excellent students. On that journey, the school has created glorious traditions, left its own mark and is increasingly affirmed for its training quality.

Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Khoa

In the coming time, to build Huynh Thuc Khang High School into an advanced school following the trend of international integration, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Khoa also suggested that the school needs to: Develop a strategic plan for school development for the period 2020 - 2030, with a vision to 2045. Set clear goals for building an advanced school following the trend of international integration; have a team of talented and qualified teachers; have synchronous, modern facilities that adapt to the 4.0 technology revolution; and form generations of global students.

Many practice rooms of Huynh Thuc Khang High School have been invested in modernly, meeting the requirements of educational innovation. Photo: PV

In addition, it is necessary to build and effectively implement the school education program in the direction of integrating international integration programs, focusing on innovating teaching methods; emphasizing career orientation education; educating the spirit of entrepreneurship, appropriate applied scientific research; enhancing teaching according to practical methods, linking with reality; educating soft skills; developing talents for school students.