Literacy class in Mong border village

Every evening at around 7:30 p.m., after finishing their housework, despite the cold weather, women in Mong Muong Long village, Tri Le commune, bring paper, pens, books, and flashlights to the literacy class at Tri Le 4 Primary School. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

The class was organized by Tri Le Border Guard Station with 50 registered students, mainly Mong women from Muong Long village aged 20-40, most of whom are married. Each class starts from 7:30 am to 9:30 am with about 30-40 students attending. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

The class has four main teachers, including two Mong Border Guard Lieutenants, Comrade Xong Ba Rong and Xong Ba Khu, staff of the Mass Mobilization Team (Tri Le Border Guard Station). Photo: Dinh Tuyen

As a companion of the class from the beginning, Senior Lieutenant Xong Ba Khu from Ky Son district said: "Muong Long village has 135 households, 815 people, about 30 km from the center of Tri Le commune. The roads are difficult to travel, the awareness level of the people is limited, most of the women in the village are illiterate and cannot speak the common language. Therefore, in the teaching process, we have to use both the common language and the ethnic language, thanks to the teachers at Tri Le 4 Primary School for additional support to prepare suitable lesson plans, to help the women remember, memorize and understand easily". Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Also participating in the class were two young Mong volunteer intellectuals from the National Defense Economic Group 4 (Military Region 4). They were Ly Ba Tu and Ly Ba Xanh - two cousins, both born in 1997, from Dooc May commune (Ky Son), former students who graduated from Vinh University. Both said: This was the first time they were able to teach Mong women to read and write, they were very happy. This was a very meaningful activity and an unforgettable experience in their lives. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

At first, the students were quite shy and hesitant. Their hands, used to holding hoes and knives while working hard in the fields, were now quite awkward when holding a pen. Some older students had stiff hands and difficulty writing, and their pronunciation was unclear, but they tried very hard, worked hard, and improved every day. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Up to now, after nearly 3 months, under the perseverance of the teachers and their own efforts, many women have learned to read, write, calculate, text on the phone... Photo: Dinh Tuyen

The joy of Ms. Gia Y Mo when she first learned to spell and write her name. She said: Learning letters is to communicate more easily and to serve the motorbike driving license test. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

Along with teaching literacy, the teachers in the classroom also skillfully combined propaganda for the women about the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws, hygienic living conditions, and the elimination of backward customs. In the photo: Comrade Le Hoi Vien - Deputy Head of Tri Le Border Guard Station helps women Tho Y Pa and Tho Thi Dung improve their reading and writing skills. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

The literacy class in Mong Muong Long village, Tri Le commune will end after 6 months. After finishing the course, students will take a test to receive a certificate. Although the course duration is relatively long, since the opening, every evening, in the freezing cold of the highlands, the special class still resounds with the voices of the students spelling out in unison. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

After each class, the Mong women and children in Muong Long village happily leave and do not forget to make an appointment to come back to class the next day to learn to read and write. In their minds, learning to read and write not only helps them improve themselves but also sets an example and encourages their children to study hard. Photo: Dinh Tuyen