The Hmong grandmothers and mothers in Pha Xac village (Huoi Tu commune, Ky Son district) still diligently attend literacy classes every day.
For about a year now, the sound of Hmong mothers studying has been a constant theme in Pha Xac village (Huoi Tu commune). Accompanying them during these summer days, in addition to teachers from Huoi Tu 2 Primary School, are also members of the commune's youth union. Photo: Dao ThoAccording to Ho Ba Da, Secretary of the Youth Union of Huoi Tu commune, the classes are normally held at night so that the mothers and sisters can take care of their work in the fields and household chores during the day. Only on weekends are the classes held in the morning. Previously, only teacher Vu Y Mo was in charge of teaching literacy, but for the past few weeks, 5-6 young members of the commune's Youth Union have also joined in. Photo: Dao ThoMs. Vu Y Mo, a teacher at Huoi Tu 2 Primary School, said: "The literacy class was opened in the village about a year ago. 14 students from the village, aged 20-65, have enthusiastically participated. When we first opened the class, the elderly women were quite hesitant because they were already old and still had to go to school. But once they were exposed to literacy, they became very excited. We tried to encourage them and provided the easiest knowledge for them to get acquainted with." (Photo: Dao Tho)Student Ly Y Lau confided: “Back when my children were in kindergarten and elementary school, every time they came home from school and asked for help with their homework, neither my husband nor I knew how to read or write. We wanted to teach them but didn't know how. Now that my children are in university and college, I'm still illiterate; I don't know how to write my own name or do basic arithmetic, which is very embarrassing. When I heard about this literacy class, my husband said we shouldn't worry about farming anymore; we should focus on learning to read and write first.” (Photo: Dao Tho)Ms. Va Thi Xong, now 65 years old, is the oldest student in the class and is considered by everyone to have made significant progress recently. She shared: “Before, we didn’t have the opportunity to go to school, so now that we’re old, we have to work so hard like this, but everyone is excited to learn to read and write.” (Photo: Dao Tho)Some students, having to work in the fields for days, fell behind in class and forgot many letters. Teacher Vu Y Mo and the youth union members directly guided each student on how to hold a pen, read each letter, and perform simple calculations. Photo: Dao ThoMany women in Pha Xac bring their young children to class, learning to read and write while also looking after their kids. Photo: Dao ThoLau Y Senh, a student at Ha Dong Medical College who recently returned home for summer break, heard about a literacy class in her village and volunteered to join the youth union members of the commune to support the movement. For Y Senh, helping the elderly women in her village learn to read and write is a meaningful contribution she can make during the summer. Photo: Dao ThoAccording to the teachers' assessment, most of the students now know how to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic. This is a positive sign and a great effort on the part of the students, even though many are elderly. Photo: Dao Tho
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