People of the 'oasis' commune contribute labor and materials to build houses for teachers

Huu Khuong is not only a particularly difficult and isolated commune in the highland district of Tuong Duong, but also the most difficult and isolated village in Nghe An. The lives of the people here are still difficult. Huu Khuong commune has 3 ethnic groups living there including Thai, Kho Mu, Mong. It is a locality with a dense system of large and small streams and creeks, the terrain is divided and dispersed into different regions, many small residential areas, and traffic is cut off... In particular, from the district center to Huu Khuong commune, there is no other way but to travel by motorboat, if you do not want to go up to Muong Xen town (Ky Son), go through Pha Danh, Huoi Tu, My Ly of Ky Son district, then follow Tay Nghe An road to Mai Son, Nhon Mai communes and then down to Huu Khuong.

This has significantly affected the teachers’ travel and teaching work here. Therefore, teachers from other localities who come to teach ethnic minority children in Huu Khuong commune have to stay at school and often only return home on weekends.

125 parents from villages in Huu Khuong commune participated in helping the school build housing for teachers. Photo: Dinh Tuan

In previous school years, teachers at Huu Khuong Primary Boarding School had to make use of spare classrooms and partitions to live in. In the 2022-2023 school year, these classrooms were requisitioned to be used as IT classrooms, so the school's teachers had no place to live. Faced with this reality, the school had to mobilize parents to contribute materials and labor to build temporary houses for teachers to live in.

Materials to build the house were all contributed by the parents. Photo: Dinh Tuan

It is known that when there was a policy calling on parents to join hands with the school to build temporary houses for teachers, all parents enthusiastically contributed their efforts and materials. Not only parents living nearby, but also parents in villages far from the commune center such as Cha Lang, Tung Hoc, Huoi Pung... also did not hesitate to cross streams and forests to help teachers build houses.

Huoi Pung village is the most isolated village in Huu Khuong commune. From the commune center to Huoi Pung village, you have to take a boat for nearly 1 hour, then continue walking for about 45 minutes to reach the village. This is also a village without electricity or phone signal. Despite the difficulties and distance, when hearing the news that the school was building housing for teachers, Mr. Vi Van Dinh and other parents in the village whose children study at the schoolHuu Khuong Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minoritiescrossed streams and forests to get to school and joined hands with parents to build temporary houses for teachers to stay.

Each person has a job, everyone works very urgently. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Mr. Vi Van Dinh said: We don't have money to contribute, but we are willing to contribute labor and materials to build temporary housing for teachers. We think this is something that should be done and done as soon as possible so that teachers can have a stable place to live. Therefore, all parents are very enthusiastic about the work. Some cut bamboo, some level the ground, some chisel... Each person has a job, everyone is very responsible for their work to soon complete the housing for teachers. Although it is hard, we all feel very happy and excited because we can contribute part of our efforts to help the school, help teachers, and this is also a gift that we parents give to teachers on the occasion of Vietnam Teachers' Day.

After 6 days of hard work, the temporary house with 6 rooms roofed with palm leaves and bamboo walls was completed. This house will be the accommodation for 11 teachers whose houses are far from the school.

Not only teachers but also students of Huu Khuong Primary Boarding School are living in temporary houses. Photo: Dinh Tuan

Mr. Le Tuyen Huan - Principal of Huu Khuong Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities shared: The school is located in an area facing many difficulties, so the facilities and infrastructure are still lacking. Housing, dining room, kitchen, toilets for teachers as well as boarding students are also makeshift. Every year, parents of the school contribute labor and bamboo to help the school repair or renovate. The school highly appreciates the contributions of parents. However, that is only a temporary solution. We hope that the sectors and philanthropists will support funding so that teachers and students of the school have a safer place to eat and rest. From there, it will contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning at the school.