'Sowing letters' amid the storms of Truong Sa
(Baonghean.vn) - In the farthest reaches of Vietnam, there are still children learning to read and write. This affirms that wherever there is Vietnamese sovereignty and territory, there is the career of educating people.
"Planting people" festival at the forefront
In harmony with the rhythm of life on the mainland, on the morning of September 5, 2023, the four most remote primary schools in Vietnam: Truong Sa Town Primary School, Song Tu Tay Island Primary School, Sinh Ton Island Primary School and Da Tay Island Primary School (belonging to Truong Sa island district, Khanh Hoa province) simultaneously opened for the 2023-2024 school year.
The opening day of Da Tay Primary School was also filled with joy and emotion from the numerous officers, soldiers and fishermen on Da Tay Island. Amidst the turbulent waves of the submerged Da Tay A Island, the students read the letters A and O in unison under the guidance of teacher Nguyen Cong Qua. Teacher Qua added that although the Da Tay A Island School is new, it has full facilities and learning equipment. In the 2023-2024 school year, teachers and students are determined to complete their teaching and learning tasks excellently.
After the opening ceremony, teacher Nguyen Cong Qua and his students started studying. On the blue board, teacher Qua wrote the letter O and the letter A in the lesson “Reading for Grade 1” with boundless emotions. Looking at the students innocently drawing each letter, memories of the first day of school from childhood flooded back to the young teacher’s heart: “On the opening day, I always feel proud and emotional. All I have now is teaching. That is my passion, my aspiration,” teacher Qua shared.
Mr. Le Xuan Viet - a resident of Da Tay A Island said: "I have two children, the eldest is 11 years old this year, the second is 8 years old, all are students of Mr. Qua. He is very responsible in teaching and taking care of the children. Thanks to that, my wife and I feel secure to participate in production and training activities on the island."
Also at this time on Truong Sa Lon Island, the opening day of the school year for teachers and students of Truong Sa Town Primary School took place in a bustling atmosphere. Mr. Tran Quang Phu, on behalf of the leaders of Truong Sa Town People's Committee, beat the drum to signal the start of the new school year. Lieutenant Colonel Pham The Nhuong - Commander of Truong Sa Lon Island and the island's command attended the opening ceremony and won many gifts such as books, notebooks, school bags, and pens to give to the students.
Meanwhile, the opening ceremony of Sinh Ton Island Primary School also took place solemnly and warmly with the presence of a large number of island officers and soldiers, parents, teachers and fishermen. Students were given books and fresh flowers right after the school drum sounded amidst the chaos of the waves. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Danh Hoang - Commander of Sinh Ton Island said that officers and soldiers of Sinh Ton Island always care about and create favorable conditions for teaching and learning of students of the island commune.
Ms. Lu Kim Cuc - one of many families whose children study at Sinh Ton Primary School could not hide her pride and joy: “This year my child is in grade 3. In the middle of a remote island, my child can still go to school to learn, I really feel secure in the policies of the Party and the State. Truong Sa Island is my family's second homeland. Here, the people are very warm and loving. The soldiers consider the people on the island as relatives in a family and always give us material and spiritual care,” Ms. Cuc confided.
Lifelong pride
Truong Sa Town Primary School in the early days of September was filled with sunshine like pouring honey. Joy filled the heart of young teacher Cao Van Truyen as the first day of school drew near. “The whole night before the first day of school, I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep. The feeling of happiness mixed with pride and joy kept stirring in my heart,” Teacher Truyen confided.
“Do you feel honored to be able to teach in the farthest part of the country?”, I asked. “To tell you the truth, teaching in Truong Sa is an aspiration for me. I think that coming to Truong Sa is an honor, being able to “sow letters” in the farthest part of the country is a great honor. The feeling of being able to contribute and sacrifice is extremely proud. Love for the country makes one forget hardships and difficulties”, Mr. Truyen shared over the phone from the big Truong Sa island.
Teacher Truyen shared that he was selected to teach in Truong Sa town from May 2023. The time on the island is 5 years. The first night lying on the bed in the hot climate, he could not sleep. Many questions arose in his mind about teaching, about his time on the island, especially the nostalgia for the mainland. “But I calmed down. Every time I thought about the children and the classroom by the waves, I felt that life had meaning. Really, during the days in Truong Sa, I felt like I had an “awakening”. The two words Truong Sa, the two words Fatherland are sacred in my heart,” said teacher Truyen.
In the 2023-2024 school year, the Truong Sa archipelago will have a new school amidst the waves. That is Da Tay Island Commune Primary School located on Da Tay A Island. This school was inaugurated in mid-2023 and put into use from the opening day.
With the same desire to bring his knowledge to students in the stormy sea, nearly 5 years ago, teacher Nguyen Cong Qua volunteered to teach in Truong Sa. The first school where Mr. Qua was able to fulfill his wish to "sow letters" to children was Sinh Ton Island Primary School. After 4 years of "ferrying the boat" on the shore, Mr. Qua was transferred to Da Tay A Island to continue teaching 11 students there.
From the shore of Tay A Island, Mr. Qua proudly shared over the phone: "Teaching in Truong Sa is lacking in material things but is always full of love. Entering the 5th year of teaching in Truong Sa, I always have the view that contributing to Truong Sa is a great honor."
The four schools present on the four islands affirm that wherever there is Vietnamese territorial sovereignty, there is the career of educating people, wherever there are Vietnamese people, the Vietnamese national language is present.
The more attached to the island, the more meaningful life becomes. Students in the farthest part of the country not only learn the national language and knowledge but also learn to love the sea and islands of the country, and have the responsibility to protect the country as future owners of the country. The education career in Truong Sa is inseparable from that.
Teacher Nguyen Cong Qua - Teacher at Da Tay Island Primary School
Song Tu Tay Island Primary School is as happy as a new festival these days. Dozens of fishing boats of fishermen come to the port to "buy goods" to refuel and repair. At the port yard, hundreds of officers and soldiers strengthen training on command and defense to protect the island. Meanwhile, teachers and students of Song Tu Tay Primary School are busy with the teaching and learning tasks of the new school year.
With the desire to contribute his youth to Truong Sa, teacher Nguyen Huu Phu volunteered to teach on Song Tu Tay Island in May 2018 after applying twice. “To be able to teach on Truong Sa is to satisfy my desire. The sea and islands are the blood and flesh of the Fatherland. I hope that the knowledge taught to the students will be a small part of the education of the young generation on the island.
Educational conditions on the island are difficult, such as no internet, lack of facilities, one teacher has to teach 5 levels of education, that is, from grade 1 to grade 5, rotating learning, but the quality of education is always guaranteed according to the educational process. I think that "sowing letters" in the midst of the storm is a lifelong pride of mine" - said Mr. Phu.
The sunny days of the Truong Sa archipelago in September are as golden as “poured honey”. The sun in the “stormy archipelago” is always harsh and the wind is hot all year round. Children babble to spell, young teachers silently sow letters affirming that, wherever there is Vietnamese territorial sovereignty, there is the career of educating people.
The cause of “sowing knowledge and cultivating people” in Truong Sa is an objective necessity of a sovereign country. That also affirms that the Party and State of Vietnam always pay attention to the cause of education. That is an inseparable strategy to protect the sovereignty of sea and islands in the new era.”
Teacher Bang Huu Tinh - Teacher at Truong Sa Town Primary School