'Open letter' of not accepting flowers and gifts from 39-year-old professor

The young professor told his students: instead of giving gifts and flowers on November 20, use that money to deposit into a scholarship fund for poor students.

Prof. Dr. Phan Thanh Son Nam (center) takes a photo with his students at the 60th anniversary celebration of the University of Technology (Ho Chi Minh City National University). Photo: Facebook Nam Phan

The "Private announcement" on November 20 by Prof. Dr. Phan Thanh Son Nam, Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Technology (Ho Chi Minh City National University) posted on his personal Facebook page received nearly 1,000 likes and dozens of shares.

"As scheduled, this November 20th, I really hope that all the students, graduate students, and researchers who have worked with me, are working with me, or will work with me, please do not buy gifts or flowers for me.

"If anyone has the heart, please use that money to deposit into the Chemistry Faculty Alumni Scholarship Fund to join hands with everyone to help poor students of B2 building, and I am very grateful to you for that" - Professor Son Nam wrote.

Sharing about this, Professor Phan Thanh Son Nam affirmed: "I am not a noble person or trying to appear noble, but in fact my life is quite simple, most of my time is spent working at school, I have no special needs for myself, and I don't have the opportunity to use the gifts I receive.

Sometimes there are friends who try every way to give gifts, some are rejected outright, some I have to accept in very awkward situations, and then I have to take the trouble to give them to students in need.

Professor Son Nam believes that university education today is almost a service, "You have the ability and you have money, you go to school; and I teach you some professional knowledge, I am also paid by the state. I am just trying to fulfill my responsibility, and you do not owe me anything."

Teacher Son Nam said he chose the teaching profession because he loves it, not because of empty titles like noble profession, soul engineer or something like that.

"So if you want to thank yourself, you have to live a good life, don't do anything to make your parents worry or sad, try to learn each subject only once in your life, have to make an effort to overcome the long journey from house B2 to stage A5 to receive your diploma, then find a good job, and then take care of yourself.

Just being able to do that makes me happy and thankful to God. You don't need to worry about November 20," Professor Nam advised.

However, according to Professor Son Nam, general education is different, it is not a service and personally he is really unhappy with the way people treat general education teachers, including his teachers.

He believes that every year, on November 20, with empty slogans and flowery words, people want to canonize teachers and because they are saints, they are not allowed to live like ordinary people.

But sadly, after November 20, people coldly turn their backs on teachers, leaving them to struggle to make a living.

"I always thought that teacher training colleges should be the place to attract the best students, and then train them to become the best people. But the harsh reality happening right before our eyes has discouraged many good students who want to follow in their teachers' footsteps.

"If you want a hundred years from now to have a talented person to take charge of the country, first of all, please truly respect the primary school teachers," Mr. Nam shared.

According to TTO