Typical example of buying and using party newspapers in school party cells

(Baonghean) - For many years now, the purchase and use of party newspapers and magazines in school party cells has been unstable, with small quantities and often "cut" during the summer vacation. To overcome this situation, some units have directed the purchase of newspapers for the whole year and used them effectively.

The Party cell of Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted (a cell directly under the Vinh City Party Committee) has 40 party members. Every day, the office distributes 6 issues of Nghe An newspaper to the principal, 4 vice principals and the school library. 5 leaders update information daily, mark articles with issues of public interest, and relevant information serving teaching and learning for teachers and students to read during breaks in the library. The school also aims to educate and train students to have the habit of reading newspapers; organize games: "Who has better headlines", "Who discovers inappropriate sentences and words"... during the flag-raising ceremony at the beginning of the week and some recesses, which arouse curiosity, stimulate students' exploration and discovery, thereby attracting their attention to the party newspaper...

Students of Xuan Tuong Secondary School (Thanh Chuong) read newspapers in the library

In 2011, due to the low purchase of party newspapers in the school party cell block in Con Cuong, only 5-9 schools out of 47 schools in the district subscribed to newspapers; the leaders of the Department of Education issued a directive requiring all schools to subscribe to newspapers all year round, without cutting off the summer vacation, and to closely monitor and inspect the implementation. At the same time, coordinate with the District Post Office to update schools that do not have newspapers for timely correction. Since that resolute direction, 100% of school party cells have purchased and used party newspapers effectively. Up to now, Con Cuong is still in the top group in purchasing and using party newspapers; during the summer vacation, schools provide the post office with newspaper receiving addresses for use in regular party cell activities.

Thanh Chuong District was previously a locality that did not do a good job in purchasing and using party newspapers in school party cells. After the leadership of the District Education Department was strengthened, in order to strengthen leadership and orient public opinion, the department directed school units to comply with the purchase and use of official documents from party newspapers; closely monitor the purchase and use of party newspapers, especially during the summer vacation and coordinate with the District Post Office to promptly detect units that are still lacking...

As a result, from the second quarter of 2013 to now in Thanh Chuong, 122/122 school party cells have regularly purchased and used party newspapers; typical examples of effective use include the Party Cells of Thanh Tien Secondary School, Hanh Lam Secondary School, Ngoc Son Kindergarten, Thanh Tuong Secondary School... Secretary of the Party Cell of Xuan Truong Secondary School, Principal Nguyen Huu Quang shared: "In order to accumulate good experiences of the units, every day, the secretary updates information and shortcomings and limitations of related units to develop proactive prevention plans; learn from typical examples posted in the party newspaper and gradually innovate, adding some important content in the flag-raising hour on Monday every week: Assign professional staff to update the traffic safety column, good people and good deeds, the doctor and health column, school health education"...

Tan Ky District was previously also in the "alarm" group regarding the rate of school party cells purchasing and using party newspapers. However, the Department of Education has promptly corrected and gradually stabilized since 2010 until now, during the summer vacation, schools also order and use them in party cell activities. The way Tan Ky does it is after issuing the directive, it requires units to photocopy the newspaper subscription receipts and submit them to the department for inspection; any unit that does not have the receipt will be reprimanded and have their competition points deducted.

Through the work of directing, inspecting and urging, many school party cells have seriously implemented the use of party newspapers such as: Nghia Dong Secondary School, Nghia Dong 2 Primary School, Nguyen Trai Secondary School, Tan An Secondary School, Tan An Primary School, Town Primary School, Tan Phu Kindergarten, Giai Xuan Kindergarten, Tan Xuan Kindergarten... Mr. Nguyen Van Manh - Principal and Party Cell Secretary of Nghia Dong Secondary School said: "The school has a large library with full range of books and newspapers for teachers and students to refer to. In addition to books and newspapers serving teaching and learning, there are 2 newspapers, Nghe An newspaper and Education Times newspaper, that are of most interest.

It can be said that reading party newspapers originates from the concern of the Commune Party Committee, which always creates conditions to provide funds to buy party newspapers for schools. Since then, the leadership coordination between the Board of Directors, the Party Committee, and the Party Committee in carrying out political tasks, ideological work, and mass organization work in the school and locality has been very good. Every Monday, the school sets aside time for classes to read newspapers and review current events in the province. The habit of reading books and newspapers has provided teachers and students with more information, understanding, and knowledge for teaching and learning, creating a healthy environment, free of social evils, contributing to building "Friendly schools, active students"...

Reading the newspaper at the beginning of class at Anh Son Secondary School. Photo: PV

To complete the task of ordering and using Party newspapers, each district, city, and town Education Department has a different way of doing things, but in general, they all show determination and choose a way of doing things that is suitable for the local reality and their unit; creating a habit, bringing about real results without being reactive like the districts of Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Quy Chau, Que Phong... For example, in Dien Chau and Do Luong districts, at the meeting, the principals requested the District Post Office to sign directly with each school; Nghia Dan district issued an official dispatch requesting the District Post Office to order newspapers for all schools and sent receipts for the schools to complete payment procedures... Accordingly, in the past 3 years, many units have successfully completed the task of ordering and using Party newspapers such as: Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Tan Ky, Con Cuong, Thanh Chuong, Que Phong, Quy Chau and in the 2014-2015 school year, Dien Chau, Do Luong, Nghia Dan units completed the task of ordering newspapers for the whole year.

Through actual inspection, there is a "paradox" problem: Most of the Education Departments of mountainous districts have done this work very well, while the plain districts have shown "sluggishness" and intermittent implementation: this quarter they strongly directed to reach 100%, but the next quarter they let it decline. There are units that have done well in directing work, but after being commended, the next quarter they return to the "starting line". There are units that have issued directives and reminders in meetings, but the principals still do not implement them, when being strongly criticized, they reply because the Commune Party Committee has ordered newspapers for them...

Every year, the Department of Education and Training issues documents directing school party cells to purchase party newspapers; however, the implementation of the instructions from higher levels is still superficial in some places. In order for the purchase and use of party newspapers in school party cells to be seriously implemented, the Department of Education and Training and the Standing Committee of the District Party Committees need to pay attention to praising and rewarding units that perform well; widely replicate typical examples for other units to learn from; organize year-round newspaper subscriptions to avoid the situation of cutting newspapers and magazines during the summer vacation; and remind units that have not complied well...

Dam Phuong