Dong Thanh Secondary School: 50 Years of Development and Growth

(Baonghean) - We visited Dong Thanh Commune Secondary School (Yen Thanh District) as the opening day of the school year approached. This school year, the teachers and students of the school are excitedly celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding and are honored to receive the title of National Standard School…

Dong Thanh is known as a rural area with a long-standing tradition of academic excellence. The generations of successful students in all fields over the past half-century are a powerful testament to this valuable tradition. Currently, all three schools in the area meet national standards.

A view of Dong Thanh Secondary School (Yen Thanh).

Speaking about the construction and development of Dong Thanh Secondary School, Mr. Nguyen Van Giao, the school's principal, said: In 1965, Dong Thanh Primary and Secondary School was established with 75 fifth-grade students studying at Vu Ky village communal house. This included students from Quang Thanh commune. The facilities for learning at that time were the wooden platforms and benches of the communal house; due to the lack of resources, the school had to use baskets for the students to study in. During the war, Dong Thanh, like other rice-growing rural areas, faced countless difficulties amidst the bombing and shelling. They were constantly evacuated, sometimes to two or three different locations a day. The image of the anti-aircraft lamp used for night classes will probably never be forgotten by the students of that era – a time of smoke, fire, and bombs, a time they are proud of for their efforts and achievements. They are even more proud that their children and grandchildren follow their example, constantly striving to study and cultivate good morals.

Fifty years have passed, a journey marked by numerous events and difficulties. However, the efforts of countless generations of teachers and students have brought honor to the school. Over the years, Dong Thanh Secondary School has continuously fostered its inherent values ​​– the values ​​of studiousness, solidarity, sharing, and concerted effort. Currently, the school has 472 students in 16 classes, with a total of 47 staff, teachers, and employees. Determining the school's scale and strategic vision until 2020, the leadership and staff have recognized that investing in education is the most effective investment for development. In 2010, the school's leadership team advised the local Party Committee and government to include in the Resolution of the Party Congress for the 2010-2015 term the goal of building Dong Thanh Secondary School to meet national standards. The Party Committee, government, social organizations, and the school have all worked together effectively and comprehensively.

Taking advantage of local school infrastructure improvement projects and the attention of the Party Committee, People's Committee, and all sectors of the community, the school has invested in building 22 spacious, clean, and beautiful multi-story classrooms, sufficient for students to study in one shift, and functional rooms as prescribed. The practical rooms for Chemistry-Biology and Physics-Technology have an area of ​​65m2, with a separate storage room for all necessary experimental equipment, and a room for pictures, photos, and maps to illustrate all subjects. The school also has a library, a Youth Union/Student Council room, a school health room, subject department rooms, a trade union room, a tradition room, a council meeting room, and an administrative office. Alongside the investment in infrastructure, parents annually invest hundreds of millions of dong to purchase and build facilities directly serving teaching and learning.

Reviewing the Scout ceremony at Dong Thanh Secondary School (Yen Thanh).

Stable school facilities contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning. For many consecutive years, the school has been recognized as an advanced unit at the district level, and for three consecutive years, it has been recognized as a model in education. 40% of teachers are recognized as excellent teachers at the district level, and on average, over 20% of staff and teachers annually receive the title of Emulation Fighter at the grassroots level, along with numerous Certificates of Merit and Commendations from various levels. In the past five years alone, five students have achieved the title of excellent student at the provincial level, with an average of 50-70 excellent students at the district level each year, and over 10% of students achieving the title of excellent student at the school level.

Achieving these accomplishments is the result of continuous and relentless effort, through various positive measures, leveraging the strength of the management team and the teaching staff of Dong Thanh Secondary School. The school constantly innovates teaching and learning methods to suit different student groups. Besides improving the quality of teaching and learning, the school always recognizes that achieving high results requires exemplary management, a center of unity, and a commitment to nurturing and caring for the staff both spiritually and materially. It emphasizes the proper allocation and utilization of staff and teachers based on their abilities, and the thorough implementation of fairness, transparency, and genuine democracy. Only through this can the self-awareness and collective strength be fully unleashed...

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the school's founding and receiving the title of a national standard school is an opportunity for teachers and students to look back on the proud past through each stage of its history, and also an opportunity for the school to express gratitude to the generations of teachers who have tirelessly and diligently worked day and night to help generations of students reach their full potential on their journey of knowledge.

Thu Huong