From a scholar from Nghe An to a teacher of the people.

(Baonghean.vn) - The news of the passing of Professor Van Nhu Cuong has shocked many. Although it was known he had been seriously ill for some time, the death of such a talented and distinguished individual has left many feeling a profound sense of loss. He was an Associate Professor, but everyone always called him by his simple title: Teacher Van Nhu Cuong. He never received any official teacher titles (excellent or people's), yet for a long time, he was known as: the people's teacher.

Details of the funeral of Associate Professor Van Nhu Cuong

Associate Professor Van Nhu Cuong passed away at the age of 80.

Teacher Văn Như Cương was originally from Quỳnh Đôi, Quỳnh Lưu, Nghệ An, into a family of scholars who taught Chinese characters. Teacher Cương had a childhood filled with diligent study, and he excelled in his studies.

When Văn Như Cương graduated from high school and had to choose a career, his father presented him with two paths: either study education or engineering. He resolutely chose teaching, a path he later described as one where his main professions were "teaching children" and "doing mathematics."

Associate Professor - Doctor Van Nhu Cuong. Photo: Facebook

In 1954, he enrolled in the Department of Mathematics at Hanoi Pedagogical University. Upon graduating with outstanding achievements, he was retained as a lecturer at the university. Sometime later, he returned to Nghe An and, together with his mentor, Professor Nguyen Thuc Hao, established Vinh Pedagogical University.

Later, Mr. Cuong pursued a postgraduate program in Mathematics at the Institute of Mathematics, Academy of Sciences of the former Soviet Union, and successfully defended his doctoral thesis in 1971. He then returned to teach in the Geometry Department, Faculty of Mathematics, Vinh University of Education, and later at Hanoi University of Education.

Talented, exemplary, and with a good sense of humor, Mr. Cuong was an impressive teacher whose legacy is still remembered by his colleagues and generations of students at Vinh University and the University of Education.

In the late 1980s, when the education sector was in crisis due to a series of contemporary difficulties, and at the same time revealing signs of transformation, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong suddenly came up with the idea of ​​establishing a private school.

Students at Luong The Vinh High School dyed the schoolyard red with the colors of their uniforms and the school flag on the opening day of the school year. Photo: Internet

Finding a like-minded partner in Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang (Lecturer at Hanoi University), the two "eccentric teachers" devoted all their energy and resources to their first private school. The school quickly gained a nationwide reputation.

Mr. Cuong served as principal for 25 years, teaching classes, and later as Chairman of the school's Board of Directors. He was renowned as a dedicated teacher, pouring all his love into his students. With his friendly and approachable demeanor, and his encouragement of student creativity, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong was like a father and grandfather to generations of students at the school he founded.

On every opening ceremony and holiday, Mr. Cuong's speech is the most anticipated "event." His speeches spread widely and are loved by teachers, students, and parents across the country.

Teacher Van Nhu Cuong joins in singing during the flag-raising ceremony with the teachers and students of Luong The Vinh School. Photo: Internet

The teacher's seemingly unconventional initiatives have made education very effective and captivated his students, such as creating a Facebook page to…understand his students. How many teachers have their students create an entire fan page dedicated to them?

Not only is he a brilliant classroom teacher and educational administrator, but he is also the author of 60 books on mathematics, including advanced mathematics textbooks and university curricula, and has translated foreign mathematics books into Vietnamese. He has been awarded the title of Associate Professor and invited to participate in the National Education Council of Vietnam.

Having been battling liver cancer for the past three years, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong has remained steadfast in his fight against the disease. He wrote on Facebook about how death has "given up" on him.

Teacher Van Nhu Cuong and his wife in recent days. Photo: Facebook

And only by reading his Facebook posts did I realize that, until his last days, Professor Van Nhu Cuong not only worried about education, but also about the many changes around him, accompanying the country's transformations, deeply concerned about life and people. He spoke about the laziness of Vietnamese people, especially the youth. Then there was the issue of "paper doctorates" in Vietnam. He talked about the "rain of perfect scores" in the education sector (he even called it a storm). He thought about "the furnace is hot and the wood is burning"...

The news of Professor Van Nhu Cuong's passing has deeply moved and saddened many, even those who were not his students or had never met him. On his Facebook page, poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao expressed: "Professor Van Nhu Cuong was an outstanding educator. He always held strong views on the development of a progressive education system in our country."

Poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao during a visit to his teacher Van Nhu Cuong. Photo: NTT

He founded Luong The Vinh High School in 1989, the first private high school in Vietnam after the Doi Moi (Renovation) period. After 25 years as Principal, he retired and became Chairman of the Board of Directors. Tens of thousands of the school's students have gone on to university and become successful adults, always grateful to him and their beloved school.

When our teacher was diagnosed with cancer and had to go for treatment, over 3,000 students from the entire school sang the traditional song "Luong The Vinh Song" to bid him farewell as he left for the hospital. More than 19,000 paper cranes were folded and hung in strings in the school's lobby, with the students believing that these cranes would help him fight the disease and recover quickly. And when he was discharged from the hospital, thousands of teachers and students lined up in front of the gate to welcome him with applause and the resounding sound of the school drum.

To me, Teacher Cuong was like a father, an older brother, and a dear friend. He was genuine, affectionate, intelligent, and straightforward, often making insightful and unexpected statements that surprised and impressed many.

"I wish Vietnamese education had more teachers like Mr. Van Nhu Cuong. But that's so difficult. That's why his passing leaves a void, like a great tree falling and leaving a gap in the sky that is hard to fill."

Dr. Le Thong Nhat's Facebook page expresses his condolences for his teacher. Photo: TV

Reporter Thu Phuong from the People's Police Newspaper shared: "This morning, a colleague informed me that Mr. Van Nhu Cuong had passed away. I was speechless. Mr. Cuong was the kindest and most selfless teacher I knew. He never avoided the press; we could interview him by phone for dozens of minutes. He was incredibly frank in his critiques of education and he never seemed to offend or make things difficult for journalists."

One late night, I called him, and he answered me very kindly without hesitation. When he was ill, all the education reporters I met asked, "Have you visited Professor Cuong yet?" He was also a valuable collaborator with my father-in-law in writing textbooks and worked with my husband's uncle, so I respected and loved him even more. Now that he's gone, he leaves behind so much regret and longing.

But he was extremely happy because he had lived a life dedicated to education, to science, and to thousands of students.”

Dr. Le Thong Nhat, a student and colleague of Professor Van Nhu Cuong, shared: "Writing about him is very difficult because no matter how much I write, there's still so much left unsaid. I only regret one thing, something he probably didn't need: that he wasn't awarded the title of 'Outstanding Teacher.' But generations of his students admire him with the title: 'Teacher of the People'!"

TV