Society

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of Phan Thuc Truc High School, receiving the Third Class Labor Medal: Half a century of glory with the career of "growing people"

Ho Dang Son - Party Secretary, Principal of Phan Thuc Truc High School • November 6, 2025 07:27

"No matter how difficult it is, we must strive to teach well and study well" is the slogan that Phan Thuc Truc High School has persistently implemented over the past many years. 50 years of establishment, the greatest asset of the school, besides its achievements, is the affection, sharing, love, enthusiasm and maturity of generations of students...

HO DANG SON - Party Cell Secretary, Principal of Phan Thuc Truc High School

"No matter how difficult it is, we must strive to teach well and study well" is the slogan that Phan Thuc Truc High School has persistently implemented over the past many years. 50 years of establishment, the greatest asset of the school, besides its achievements, is the affection, sharing, love, enthusiasm and maturity of generations of students...

In September 1975, in the mountainous area of ​​Ve Vung, Dong Thanh commune, a high school that combines study and work in Yen Thanh district (the predecessor of Phan Thuc Truc High School) was established.

Established right after the country had just been liberated, amidst the hustle and bustle of a post-war nation, the school faced numerous difficulties. Because it was a work-study school, the location chosen was the area above Ve Vung dam in Kim Lien hamlet, Dong Thanh commune, where there was enough water, and there were nearly 5 hectares of newly cleared production land and dense forests, convenient for building camps and developing production and raising livestock.

In the early days, the school had only 23 staff, teachers and technical workers, 4 classes with nearly 200 students, 2 rows of bamboo and thatched houses. Teachers and students at that time went to class in the morning, and in the afternoon went to the forest to cut wood to build huts, build schools, raise goats, cows, grow rice, cassava, and tea. Teachers lived in huts, some students had to stay at people's houses in the village or had to build their own huts. Despite the hardships, the first course in Bao Thanh land bore sweet fruit. The first 5 students of the school entered university lecture halls such as Maritime University, Military Technical University, Hanoi Pedagogical University, Vinh Pedagogical University and notably, one of them was admitted to Thai Binh Medical University, later being awarded the noble title of People's Physician.

After that, in just 10 years, the school moved twice, the first time to the Con Muong hill area, Bao Thanh commune next to Highway 7 in the south of the district. 10 in Bao Thanh land was a difficult period in the general difficulties of the country during the subsidy period, but it was also this period that formed a foundation for the next stage. The people and students in the Highway 7 area felt secure and confident in placing their trust in the school.

In 1987, the school moved to its current location, Dong Hien hamlet, Van Tu commune. The first years were turbulent for the school as many students dropped out due to economic difficulties. In 1992, the school had only 7 high school classes left, and was forced to merge with Cong Thanh secondary school to survive, and 30 teachers had to transfer to secondary schools.

An important event in the school's development process was that on May 22, 1993, in response to the wishes of the school's staff, teachers, employees and the people of the district, the People's Committee of Nghe An province decided to change the school's name to Phan Thuc Truc Secondary and High School. The school was named after the famous cultural figure Phan Thuc Truc, a famous cultural figure, a writer, poet, and great historian in Phu Ninh village, Van Tu commune, now Van Tu commune, which brought great joy and pride to the school's staff, teachers, students, parents and people in the area. That also brought expectations that it would contribute to promoting the teaching and learning movement of the people of the district.

During its operation, the school has its own characteristics as a school that both studies and works, teaches two levels and also teaches cultural enrichment, so at many times it faces many difficulties and challenges.

How to develop and stand firm in the land of Nam Yen Thanh has always been a matter of concern and worry for the school board. This is even more difficult when for many consecutive years, the "input" of the school has been very low, the enrollment area is limited to 8 communes in the area. There was a time in the early 90s, due to the difficult learning conditions and opportunities to pass the university and college entrance exams, so the number of students dropping out of school was very high. One year, the school only had 7 high school classes left. Because of the surplus of teachers, many had to retire, return to the 196 regime or move down to the junior high school level...

Amidst the hardships and challenges, the school's board of directors and teachers always determined that if they want to affirm their reputation and do well in enrollment, there is no other way than to improve the quality of the team, innovate teaching and learning methods, and build school discipline...

That is also the reason why, in difficult years, despite low incomes and the hardships of most school teachers, teachers still work hard for their students, are passionate about their professional work, and take care of and tutor their students.

With the slogan of action "School after school, class after class, teacher after teacher, student after student", the quality of teaching and learning of the school has been improving positively day by day. From having only a few excellent students of the province, a few students passing the university entrance exam each year, the number has now increased to dozens, hundreds. The gap between Phan Thuc Truc School and other schools in and outside the district has been shortened. The scale of the school has increased, peaking in the 2005-2006 school year, the school had 55 classes with more than 2,500 students, the branch of the school in Bao Thanh separated into Nam Yen Thanh High School in 2006.

After the initial difficulties, from 2015 to now, Phan Thuc Truc High School (Yen Thanh - Nghe An) has entered a period of rapid and comprehensive development in both educational quality and facilities. From a school in a semi-mountainous area with many difficulties, the appearance of the school has completely changed with a multi-functional classroom with an area of ​​1500m2.² was put into use, is an ideal playground for students. The school yard, internal roads, school gate were renovated, the green tree system was added, the computer room system for modern teaching, the practice house system is spacious, meets standards with full equipment, the library is green, clean, beautiful.

The school has also campaigned to put into use an artificial football field, auxiliary facilities for physical education and sports, replace tables and chairs, electrical equipment, fans, install TVs in 21 classrooms, connect wifi to classrooms... to meet the requirements of the 2018 General Education Program. In November 2024, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued a Decision to recognize Phan Thuc Truc High School as meeting National standards level 2. This is the first high school in Yen Thanh district (old) and is one of the very few schools in Nghe An province to date that has achieved this standard.

The school's teaching staff has also grown in both quantity and quality. Up to now, the school has 29 masters, 48 ​​provincial-level excellent teachers, more than 30 school-level excellent teachers, hundreds of industry- and provincial-level initiatives, contributing to improving management capacity and subject education quality.

Looking back on the past 50 years, the greatest joy is that the school's educational quality has been affirmed day by day. From a school with low entrance, with a graduation rate of five years, and a university entrance rate of only a dozen students, the school is now one of the high schools that has achieved many outstanding achievements in all aspects. The quality of key education has developed strongly and steadily. Provincial-level excellent students are always ranked first in the district and are in the top of the province, the number of students with high scores entering universities is constantly increasing... The mass competitions organized or jointly organized by the education sector, the school's students have registered, been awarded at the national level, the school's reputation has increased, and it has been recognized by the people, students and government leaders at all levels.

In the first 25 years of the 21st century alone, the school had 576 students, including 21 first prizes, more than 300 second prizes, third prizes, and students who won national prizes in competitions. In the 50th school year (2025-2026), the school had 33 excellent students in the province, including 4 first prizes and 1 valedictorian. For the first time in the history of the school, there was the largest number of first prizes and valedictorians in a provincial excellent student competition. The quality of education output through graduation exams has always ranked in the top 15-20 out of nearly 100 high schools in the province. In recent years, every school year, the school's students have achieved excellent results, honored and rewarded by the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province. These achievements not only affirm the quality of teaching and learning of the school but also show the desire and striving to acquire knowledge, continuing the story of the studious spirit of poor students at this school.

After half a century of construction and development, Phan Thuc Truc High School has contributed to promptly meeting the revolutionary tasks of the country and the locality. From the beginning of studying and working, the school quickly changed to the nature of a general school, meeting the learning needs of children of the people in 12 communes in the Highway 7 area. In 50 years, the school has had 1,330 classes, 17,800 students have graduated. Many of them have become brave soldiers, leading the fight to protect the Fatherland, some have been awarded the title of Hero, many have become good workers in their hometowns, in factories, enterprises... Many excellent students have become professors, doctors, generals, senior officers, poets, writers, journalists, teachers, doctors, scientists, managers, good workers.

Wherever they are and whatever they do, Phan Thuc Truc School students always have the desire to reach the heights of knowledge and science and to bring glory to the school's tradition. These achievements not only affirm the quality of teaching and learning of the school but also show the desire and striving to acquire knowledge, continuing the story of the studious spirit of poor students in this school.

50 years - a journey of half a century full of hardships but also brilliant glory. From the initial work-study high school to the national standard school today is a journey of countless efforts, dedication and aspirations of generations of teachers and students.

The joy was multiplied when, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its founding, the school was honored to receive the Third Class Labor Medal (for the second time) from the State - a noble award, a testament to the persistent, silent but meaningful contributions to the cause of "cultivating people".

Delighted and appreciating those glorious achievements, the school collective today is proud of the tradition it has achieved and determined to compete in good teaching and good learning to meet the people's expectations and educational requirements in the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country.