Classes filled with compassion

(Baonghean) - One might think that only teachers in remote villages or mountainous areas struggle to persuade students to drop out of school. However, right here in the coastal town of Cua Lo, the teachers of Nghi Thuy Secondary School are still diligently and tirelessly working day and night to nurture future generations, building a bright future for their students and helping them escape the vicious cycle of illiteracy and poverty...

In Nghi Thuy coastal commune, many 7th and 8th grade students drop out of school for a variety of reasons. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, a literature teacher and school union president, said: "2006 was a time of massive student dropouts. Many classes had 5-7 students drop out without explanation, and the whole school had about a few dozen students. Some dropped out because of difficult family circumstances, following their fathers or brothers to sea to earn a living. Many others dropped out because they were too playful and bored with studying, wandering around with friends. Some dropped out because of poor academic performance and didn't want to go to school..."

Faced with this situation, the school established a committee to encourage students who had dropped out to return to school. They reviewed the number of students who had dropped out, analyzed the causes, categorized the students, and coordinated with local authorities, organizations, and neighborhood groups to go to each student's home to persuade them. Teachers had to take advantage of breaks after each lesson to go to each student's home to convince them, and they went to the fish market and the docks to meet parents, explain the situation, and encourage them to return.

A lesson at Nghi Thuy Secondary School.

After a period of persistent effort, going door-to-door, many students agreed to return to school, but on the condition that they "only attend during their free time." Thus, evening supplementary classes were established. The teaching staff consisted of Party members and core professional staff who spearheaded the effort. At night, the school's classrooms were brightly lit, and teachers arrived earlier than the students to welcome them, simultaneously lecturing and engaging in outreach and persuasion. The lesson plans for these classes were also quite "special" compared to regular classes. "Many students had dropped out a long time ago, their studies interrupted, so we had to teach in a way that 'fills in the gaps,' to help them stabilize their mindset and become attached to the class. Each teacher had to create a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere in the classroom, without putting pressure on the students. Many students lived far from the school, so the teachers even took on the responsibility of transporting them to and from school..." - said teacher Nguyen Thanh Ha.

It's hard to fully describe the hardships faced by teachers at this time. After classes, teachers who live nearby rush home to prepare meals for their families, then hurry back to school to be on time for evening classes. Teachers who live far away have to eat bread or instant noodles to stay at school and teach supplementary classes. It's arduous, but these teachers do it voluntarily, without any allowance whatsoever.

Many teachers even use their salaries to buy books and supplies for students, and reward those who attend class regularly. The most difficult time is during calm seas, when the number of students skipping school to go fishing increases. At those times, teachers sadly accept the situation, waiting for rougher seas to continue the program. Despite interruptions and fragmented learning, the night classes are maintained regularly. Thanks to this, many students who had dropped out of school have graduated from junior high school and gone on to senior high school, many have gone on to vocational training, and some have even gone to work abroad.

From 2006 to the present, the school has opened five evening supplementary classes for nearly 200 students. Currently, the school is reviewing the cases of students who dropped out mid-way through their studies, encouraging them to return to school, and opening another supplementary class for these students.

Thanh Phuc