(Baonghean.vn) - Gone are the days of meals without meat.
A few years ago, every time I went to the high mountainous areas of Tuong Duong, Ky Son, and Que Phong districts in Nghe An province, I would always be haunted by the images of those young students. In those days, to pursue their education, the children had to leave home and live in makeshift huts with thatched roofs and bamboo walls, rickety and scattered around the schools. Their meals consisted of a handful of rice, a pinch of salt, a few green chilies, and some bamboo shoots...
These days, the lives of the children in those highlands have changed dramatically. Almost all boarding schools, and even schools with boarding students, now have houses, beds, mats, blankets, and school supplies for the children to use. More importantly, with the rice and money provided under Government Decisions 36, 85, etc., the Parent-Teacher Associations and schools have jointly organized nutritious meals for the children. Visiting the highlands at this time, I'm happy to see the children receiving better care, but I also feel a pang of nostalgia for the makeshift, dilapidated thatched houses and the meals lacking meat...
Below are some images of meals for students in the mountainous region, captured by a reporter from Nghe An Newspaper:
 |
| A few years ago, this was a common sight in the highlands of Nghe An province. Young students, whether from the Thai, Mong, Khmu, Dan Lai, or O Du ethnic groups, would usually cook their own meals once a day, for dinner, consisting of just a small portion of rice, a pinch of white salt, and a few green chili peppers... |
 |
| Now, most schools have kitchens and cafeteria staff. This cafeteria staff member works at Chau Khe Secondary School (Con Cuong). |
 |
| The boarding students at Chau Khe Secondary School get to eat rice with meat... |
 |
| ...The rice, meat, and soup were served by the cook into shiny stainless steel trays. |
 |
| The school cafeteria staff provides nutritious lunch and dinner meals for each student. |
 |
| Meanwhile, at Tam Hop Secondary School (Tuong Duong district), the students are served rice with meat, eggs, and soup. |
 |
| The male students ate together in their dorm rooms. |
 |
| Similarly, the female students brought their rations back to eat at their accommodation. |
 |
| At Mon Son Secondary School (Con Cuong), the students' meal includes braised fish. Before braising the fish, the school's cook fries it thoroughly to enhance its flavor. |
 |
| ...The meal also included stir-fried vegetables and soup. According to the school's cafeteria staff, the food is ordered by the school, and the dishes are changed daily. |
 |
| The boys usually sit together at desks according to their class. |
 |
| For the girls, if they live in the same village, they sit together. |
 |
| Everyone was happy and felt warm and comfortable. |
 |
| It can be affirmed that, with the support of rice and money under Government Decisions 36, 85, etc., students in mountainous areas now have nutritious meals. For them, going to school is truly a joyful experience... |
Nhat Lan - Pham Bang
