Teachers in the mountainous region of Nghe An province personally prepare heartwarming meals for exam candidates.

From the early morning hours, Ms. Nguyen Thi Chiem, a Literature teacher at Que Phong High School, got out of bed. After preparing breakfast for her 12th-grade son, who was about to take the High School Graduation Exam, she hurried to Ms. Lan's house – the school's cook – to volunteer in preparing meals.

The work was hectic, lasting from over 5 am to 9 am, but despite the busyness, no one felt tired. By the time the candidates finished their first exam, the meals were already prepared.

The menu, which included braised chicken, braised pork, stir-fried bamboo shoots, and water spinach soup, excited all the contestants and made them enjoy their meal. After the meal, each student was given a carton of milk to supplement their nutrition.

Seeing the students enjoying their meal, with some even saying, "It's better than eating at home," teacher Nguyen Thi Chiem couldn't hide her joy and shared: "I have been with my students for three years, witnessing their hardships and disadvantages. Therefore, today, being able to prepare a meal for them along with the other teachers makes me very happy and fulfilled. I hope they will do well in their exams and achieve high results."

This year, Que Phong High School has 589 candidates taking the exam. More than half of them are students from distant areas, living in dormitories or boarding houses near the school.

For the past month, although the school year has ended, the students have remained at school to prepare for their exams. As the exam day approaches, only a handful of students have parents to encourage and support them. For these students, exam day is just like any other day; they must be completely independent.

Recognizing this as a crucial exam, and anticipating potential problems such as some candidates oversleeping and missing the exam, Que Phong High School, in collaboration with the Youth Union, has established a "rapid response" team to support students during this year's exam season. In case of unexpected situations, teachers and volunteers will be ready to assist candidates.

During the exam preparation period, many teachers at the school also provided free accommodation for the students.

Besides transportation, food, and accommodation for students, one of the teachers' concerns is the students' meals during exam days. Normally, some students register for meals provided by the school canteen, while others cook their own meals.

However, with the continuous exam schedule and unreliable cooking conditions, preparing meals independently would be very difficult. That's why, for many years, despite numerous challenges, Que Phong High School has proactively prepared free meals for exam candidates.

This year alone, in addition to the 200 meals provided by the industry's trade union, more than 300 other meals were donated by organizations, individuals, and businesses.

After enjoying a delicious meal, candidate Va Thi Thanh - class 12A11 - of the Mong ethnic group, said: "I thank the teachers for worrying about us during the exam days. My family is also very relieved because even though we are far away, we are still being cared for and guided by the teachers every day."

Growing up in Huoi Moi village, Tri Le commune, Va Thi Thanh was one of the few students from her village who went to Kim Son town to attend high school. After three years at Que Phong High School, while many of her classmates were already thinking about finding jobs, Thanh always dreamed of becoming a primary school teacher. Without the opportunity to take an aptitude test, Thanh placed all her dreams on the High School Graduation Exam, and she vowed to try her best not to disappoint her teachers and family.

Tomorrow (June 28th), teachers at the Que Phong High School exam center will wake up early again to cook meals for their students. The high school graduation exam is challenging, but it's also perhaps an exam filled with many memories and overflowing with affection from the teachers...