Tet for promoting education in Nghe An province

(Baonghean) - For a long time, the Tet holiday for promoting education has become a beautiful tradition in many families across various rural areas of Nghe An province. This is an occasion for people in the province to honor learning, preserve the custom of writing the first words of the new year, and hope for a successful year...

The calligraphy ceremony in Quynh village.

For the past seven years, Quynh Doi commune (Quynh Luu district) has organized a community-wide calligraphy ceremony. In the past, this tradition in Quynh village was only observed in families considered "rich in literary talent." Typically, on the third day of Tet (Lunar New Year), learned scholars and those with excellent writing skills would solemnly prepare an altar, paper, and ink to write the first words of the year. The ceremony would be attended by all the family members, with the person performing the ceremony writing auspicious blessings on behalf of everyone in the household. Today, the tradition of the Spring Calligraphy Ceremony in Quynh village is still preserved and has developed further. The ceremony is no longer limited to a select few with excellent writing skills or held on a small scale within families and clans as before; now, everyone in the village participates, turning it into a widespread movement.

The first writing ceremony of the year in Quynh Doi commune (Quynh Luu district).

Everyone in Quynh Doi is aware of the special value of this beautiful custom. The elderly see the act of writing the first words of the year as a way to encourage their children and grandchildren to study, while the younger generation considers being chosen to write the first words at the village communal house a great honor. Therefore, everyone enthusiastically participates.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year 2016 (Year of the Monkey), in addition to those selected from the various branches, 60 students representing over 600 students from the entire Quynh Doi commune gathered at the village communal house to begin the writing ceremony. The ceremony commenced after the drumbeat signaling the start of the festival, led by the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee. Within 30 minutes, participants wrote a short essay or poem on a given topic, usually praising the beauty of their homeland and country. The handwriting reflected the character; each participant carefully crafted meaningful and concise writings, reflecting their thoughtful and beautiful intentions.

Along with the students, many elderly people in the commune and parents also participated in the calligraphy ceremony. Teacher Ho Thi Hue, a teacher at Ho Tung Mau Primary and Secondary School in Quynh Doi commune, said: "The school also selects students who are good at writing and have good handwriting to participate in the ceremony. They are very enthusiastic and feel honored by this. From this ceremony, their eagerness to learn and their academic achievements are enhanced."

Participating in this year's calligraphy ceremony, Hoang Thi Huong Giang, a 5th-grade student from Ho Tung Mau Primary School, shared: "Coming here, I feel the atmosphere of the calligraphy ceremony is very sacred. I will try my best to study hard so that I can participate in the calligraphy ceremony at the beginning of the Spring every year…"

Awards were presented to the children at the spring calligraphy ceremony in Quynh Doi village.

What's special is that the opening ceremony at the village communal house isn't a competition; in fact, old and young, men and women, daughters-in-law and sons-in-law, and even people from far away can all participate. After the writing session, the organizing committee reviews the essays, grades them for "good writing and beautiful handwriting," and then solemnly reads out the best essays and poems. The Education Promotion Association awards prizes to those who excelled in the opening ceremony. The prizes may not be of high material value, but they hold immense spiritual value, representing an honor that everyone looks forward to. The opening ceremony has become an unforgettable memory in the hearts of every resident of Quynh Doi, a land known for its scholarly traditions. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quy, Chairman of the Education Promotion Association of Quynh Doi commune, shared: "Organizing the opening ceremony has great significance, firstly in continuing the traditions of our homeland; secondly, in creating a positive value at the beginning of the new year, paving the way for further academic success and improving the quality of education for the children."

Expanding the model of promoting learning and talent.

2016 marks the 13th year that the Nghe An Association for the Promotion of Learning has organized the "Learning Promotion Tet" event. This year, the event was launched in early February in Cua Lo town. Held during the traditional Lunar New Year, the event aims to create a competitive spirit in promoting learning at the beginning of the year, improving the overall quality of learning promotion activities. It also aims to motivate and encourage students to overcome difficulties and strive for academic excellence, giving them more strength to attend school. In response to the Learning Promotion Tet, on the first day alone, nearly 60 gifts from various levels of government, agencies, organizations, and benefactors were donated to disabled children and poor but academically优秀 students in the town, each gift worth 500,000 VND.

In addition, local authorities and clans in the town have also donated many valuable gifts to outstanding students and students from disadvantaged backgrounds to give them more motivation to strive. Previously, during the closing ceremony of the "Nghe An Education Promotion Month" emulation movement in 2015, Binh Duong Precast Concrete and Mechanical Company and Thien Phu Company donated 240 scholarships worth 120 million VND to all schools in the town. Meanwhile, in Dien Chau district, around the 4th and 5th days of Tet, when children and grandchildren from all over the country return home for Tet, clans throughout Dien Chau district organize Tet Education Promotion events, awarding prizes to children and grandchildren who have achieved academic success.

This year's Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration for promoting education in Dien Chau district saw nearly 700 clans organizing very lively and meaningful events. Each clan allocated between 10 and 30 million VND from its education promotion fund to award prizes to their children and grandchildren, with each prize ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 VND. Significantly, through this education promotion movement, approximately 25,000 families in the district have now been awarded the title of "Family Dedicated to Learning," accounting for nearly 40% of the households in the district.

Thanh Chung - Song Hoang