Miracle of Nghe An land of learning

(Baonghean) - Nghe An is considered a land of learning and when talking about learning and academic success, Nghe An people are always proud to mention Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted. From this school, many generations of students have grown up, many have become writers, poets, scientists, many have become politicians, businessmen, managers holding important positions in Party and State agencies, large organizations and enterprises... Over the past 40 years, Phan School students have won 4 gold medals, 5 silver medals, 6 bronze medals at international and Asian Olympiads for excellent students; 1034 national excellent students; hundreds of valedictorians of prestigious universities. That is a feat that all high schools across the country dream of...

From specialized classes"special"

In early 1965, the resistance war against the US was entering its fiercest phase. According to Decision 198/CP dated September 14, 1965 of the Government, in order to train talented human resources for the country, some localities in the North opened high school classes to teach students with aptitude for Mathematics. First was Hanoi University of Science (now the University of Social Sciences and Humanities), then Hanoi Pedagogical University, Vinh Pedagogical University and some other provinces and cities.

Provincial leaders presented flowers to congratulate teachers of Phan Boi Chau Specialized School.

Although located in the key area of ​​fierce bombing by the US air force and navy, and also one of the localities facing the most difficulties and shortages, starting from the 1965-1966 school year, the leaders of Nghe An province, directly the Department of Education (Department of Education and Training), opened the first "special" Math classes in a number of high schools taught and headed by teachers Pham San, Nguyen Duy Tinh, Nguyen Khac Tue, Nguyen Tien Le...

Then in the following school years, despite the bombs and bullets plowing day and night, with creative thinking, from 1969, Nghe An Department of Education continued to open a specialized Literature class at Do Luong I High School. Teacher Phan Huy Huyen, then teachers Nguyen Duy Ty, Hoang Quy, Nguyen Tan Duong... were the first teachers to teach and take charge of the specialized Literature classes. Many students of the gifted classes at that time have now grown up and made many contributions to their homeland and country.

In the specialized Math classes, some typical students are: Thai Ba Can, currently a senior lecturer, Associate Professor, PhD, former Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education, Vice President of Vietnam Mechanics Association; Vu Quoc Phong - Professor, Doctor of Science, currently working at Ohio University (USA); To Hong Hai - former Standing Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Propaganda Department of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Huu Duc - Professor, PhD, Principal of Da Lat University; Nguyen Van Cao - Chairman of Thua Thien - Hue Provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Hong Truong - PhD, Deputy Minister of Transport; Tran Nhat Thanh - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Delta Company; Nguyen Duy Chien - Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands...

The Literature classes also have many outstanding people such as: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang - Member of the Party Central Committee, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Phan Xuan Dung - Member of the Party Central Committee, Member of the National Assembly Standing Committee - Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment; Nguyen Viet Ngoan - Prof. Dr., Principal of Saigon University; Phan Van Thu - Deputy Director of the Judicial Academy; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Truong Dang Dung - former Deputy Director of the Institute of Literature; Nguyen Sy Dung - PhD, Deputy Head of the National Assembly Office); Nguyen Duc Hien - National Assembly Delegate, Head of the National Assembly's Petition Committee; Ho Quang Loi - Standing Member, Head of the Hanoi Party Committee's Propaganda Department; Vo Thi Hao - Writer; Nguyen Thanh Thi - Associate Professor Dr. of Literature - Head of the Faculty of Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Lam - former lecturer at Lomonosov University (former Soviet Union); Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Canh Hue - Acting Head of the History Department, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education; Dinh Tri Dung - Associate Professor, Dr., former Head of the Literature Department, Vinh University, now Director of Vinh University Publishing House...

To the school named after patriot Phan Boi Chau

On October 15, 1974, the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of Nghe An province, led by Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Sy Que, held a ceremony to announce the decision to establish the Gifted High School on the basis of merging the "special" Literature and Mathematics classes at Do Luong II and Thanh Chuong I High Schools. Dien Thanh Commune, Dien Chau District was chosen as the location to build the school. After 50 days and nights of hard work, 39 teachers, staff, and more than 100 students of the Literature and Mathematics classes, along with the help of the people and the commune government, built simple classrooms on vacant land in time for the opening of the new school year 1974 - 1975.

Nghe An is proud to be the province with the first specialized school in the North, a type of school whose mission is to provide comprehensive education, discover and nurture gifted students, create human resources, and nurture talents. In 1977, the school changed its name to Nghe - Tinh High School for Gifted Students (now Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted). From 1977 to 1981, the school was located in Hung Loc Commune, Vinh City; during this time (until 1991), the school recruited students in Nghe Tinh Province. From 1981 to present, the school moved to No. 48 - Le Hong Phong Street - Vinh City.

From 6 specialized Math, Literature and39 cadres, teachers, and employees on the first day of establishment; today the school has 33 classes, with 11 specialized subjects (Math, IT, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Literature, History, Geography, English, French, Russian) with 107 cadres, teachers, and employees; 2 PhDs in Mathematics, 2 people doing PhD (Chemistry, Literature), 80 masters, 2 people studying for master's degrees.

50 years of specialized education, 40 years of establishment of specialized schools is not long compared to high schools across the country, but this school has discovered and nurtured many generations of students who have overcome all hardships and challenges to study and become successful. Those "special products" when "baked" all promote the qualities and intelligence of the homeland of "Nghe An teachers", of the land that has long been famous for its studiousness, good study and high achievements, have contributed significantly to the cause of "cultivating people", to the development of education and training of the homeland and the country.

Generations of students of the school have made the school named after the patriot Phan Boi Chau famous, furthering the tradition of studiousness of the homeland of Nghe An. There have been 26 students participating in international and regional competitions for gifted students in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Informatics; including 4 Gold Medals, 5 Silver Medals, 6 Bronze Medals, and 3 Certificates of Merit at international and Asian Olympiads for gifted students. A typical example is student Nguyen Tat Nghia (class 35), who won 2 gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad and the Asian Physics Olympiad for 2 consecutive years, 2007 and 2008.

With more than 1,000 students winning national prizes, the school has always been in the top of the country in terms of achievements in nurturing excellent students for many consecutive years. In particular, in the 2013-2014 school year, Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted ranked first in the country in terms of the number of excellent national students with 84 students winning prizes, of which 12 were selected to compete in the second round of the Vietnam team to compete in the International Olympiad for Excellent Students. Tens of thousands of students of all generations passed the university entrance exam, of which hundreds were valedictorians of prestigious schools. Not only block A students bring pride to the school, but block C students are no less. Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted has nurtured and nurtured many famous writers, poets, and literary critics such as: Vo Thi Hao, Nguyen Dang Diep, Giang Huong, Hong Thai, Tran Kim Hoa, Nhu Binh, Dinh Thu Hien, Le Ho Quang, Le Thi Thu Thuy, Duong Hai Yen, Duong Nu Khanh Thuong, Phan Thuy Thao, Duong Nu Cam Tam... Writer Nguyen Ngoc once commented: "I don't understand why a small school in such a poor province has produced so many valedictorians in literature. I will definitely visit the school once to find out."

In recognition of the contributions of generations of teachers, staff, workers and students, the Party and the State have awarded the school many noble awards: twice awarded the Emulation Flag by the Government (2003, 2007), Third Class Labor Medal (1994), Second Class Labor Medal (1999), First Class Labor Medal (2004), Third Class Independence Medal (2009), Labor Hero (5/2013), twice honored in the Vietnam Glory program (2007, 2013). During the process of construction and development, the school has been honored many times to welcome Party, State and local leaders to visit and work on the occasion of the opening ceremony and the annual celebration of Vietnamese Teachers' Day. In particular, in recent years, teachers and students of Phan School were visited by General Secretary Nong Duc Manh (May 2005) and President Truong Tan Sang attended the opening ceremony of the 2011-2012 school year...

With great contributions to the cause of education and training, 16 teachers of Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted were awarded the title of Excellent Teacher, 15 teachers were awarded the Third Class Labor Medal, 20 teachers were awarded Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister and hundreds of teachers were awarded Certificates of Merit from all levels and sectors.

Meritorious Teacher Dau Van Mui - Principal of the school shared: "The project to build Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted into a key, high-quality school in the 2010-2020 period is one of the solid foundations for the school to create breakthroughs, achieve many high achievements in recent years, meet the requirements of comprehensive fundamental innovation in education, and become a bright spot in education and training in the country.

On March 23, 2014, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the specialized system and the 40th anniversary of its establishment, Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted was honored to receive the title of Hero of Labor. This is an honor for all generations of teachers and students of the school, and also a great responsibility for teachers and students to strive to maintain the title in the future, worthy of the glorious tradition of the specialized school in the homeland of Nghe An!

Trung Hieu - Hoang Hao