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

(Baonghean.vn) - The news of the passing of teacher Van Nhu Cuong has shocked many people. Although we knew he was seriously ill, the passing of a great talent and personality left many people disappointed. He was an Associate Professor, but people always called him by the simple "title": Teacher Van Nhu Cuong. He has not been awarded any title of teacher (excellent or people's), but for a long time, people have called him: the people's teacher.

» Funeral details of Associate Professor Van Nhu Cuong

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

Mr. Van Nhu Cuong was originally from Quynh Doi, Quynh Luu, Nghe An, in a family of Chinese teachers. Mr. Cuong spent his childhood devoted to studying, and he was a very good student.

When graduating from high school, having to choose a career, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong's father set two paths for his son: either studying pedagogy or studying engineering. He firmly chose the path of teaching, which he later said his main profession was "knocking children's heads" and "doing math".

Associate Professor - Dr. Van Nhu Cuong. Photo: Facebook

In 1954, he entered the Faculty of Mathematics, Hanoi Pedagogical University. After graduating, with his excellent achievements, he was retained as a lecturer at the school and after a while, he returned to Nghe An, together with his teacher, Professor Nguyen Thuc Hao, to build Vinh Pedagogical University.

After that, Mr. Cuong was able to study a postgraduate program in Mathematics at the Institute of Mathematics, Academy of Sciences of the former Soviet Union and successfully defended his PhD thesis in 1971. He returned to teach at the Geometry Department, Faculty of Mathematics, Vinh Pedagogical University, and then at Hanoi Pedagogical University.

Talented, exemplary and humorous, Mr. Cuong is an impressive teacher who is still remembered by his colleagues and generations of students at Vinh University and the University of Education.

In the late 80s of the last century, when the education sector fell into crisis due to a series of difficulties of the times, and at the same time revealed changes, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong suddenly came up with the idea of ​​establishing a private school.

Students of Luong The Vinh school dyed the schoolyard red with their shirts and flags on the opening day. Photo: Internet

Finding a like-minded person, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Khang (Lecturer at Hanoi University), the two "crazy teachers" devoted all their efforts and wealth to the first private school. The school quickly became a brand name throughout the country.

Mr. Cuong has been a principal for 25 years, participating in teaching, then taking on the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the school. He is famous for being a teacher devoted to education, devoting all his love to his students. With a friendly, approachable lifestyle, encouraging creativity in students, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong has been the father and grandfather of the generation of students at the school he founded.

During every opening ceremony and holiday, Mr. Cuong’s speech is the most anticipated “performance”. His speeches are widely spread and loved by teachers, students and parents nationwide.

Teacher Van Nhu Cuong joins in singing during the flag salute with teachers and students of Luong The Vinh school. Photo: Internet

The teacher's seemingly unique initiatives make education very effective and make students crazy, such as creating a Facebook page to... understand students. How many people have students create a fan page for their teacher?

Not only is he a talented teacher and educational administrator, he is also the author of 60 books on Mathematics, advanced Mathematics textbooks and university curricula, and translation of foreign mathematics books into Vietnamese. He was awarded the title of Associate Professor and invited to join the National Education Council of Vietnam.

Having suffered from liver cancer for the past three years, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong is still fighting the disease with great determination. He wrote on Facebook about the grim reaper "admitting defeat" to him.

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

And only by reading his Facebook page can we know that, until the last days of his life, Mr. Van Nhu Cuong was not only concerned with education, but also with the many changes around him, accompanying the changes of the country, and was deeply concerned with life and people. He talked about the laziness of Vietnamese people, especially the young. Then there was the story of fake PhDs in Vietnam. He talked about the rain of 10s in the education sector (he also called it a storm). He thought about “the stove was hot and the wood was burning”…

The news of Mr. Van Nhu Cuong's passing has moved many people, even those who did not study with him or meet him, to miss him. On his Facebook page, poet and musician Nguyen Trong Tao expressed: "Mr. Van Nhu Cuong was an outstanding educator. He always had strong views on the development of the country's advanced education."

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

He founded Luong The Vinh High School in 1989, the first private school in Vietnam after the renovation. After 25 years as Principal, he retired as Principal and became Chairman of the Board of Directors. Tens of thousands of students of the school have entered university and grown up, always grateful to him and his beloved school.

When the teacher was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo treatment, more than 3,000 students from the whole school sang the traditional song Luong The Vinh song to send him off to the hospital. More than 19,000 paper cranes were folded and hung in strings in the lobby of Luong The Vinh school with the students' belief that the paper cranes would help the teacher fight the disease and recover quickly. And when the teacher was discharged from the hospital, thousands of teachers and students lined up in front of the gate to welcome him with clapping hands and the sound of the school drum.

To me, Master Cuong is like a father, an elder brother and a very precious old friend. He is sincere, emotional, intelligent and straightforward, often making surprising statements that make many people surprised and admired.

I wish the Vietnamese education system had more teachers like Mr. Van Nhu Cuong. But it is difficult. Therefore, his passing leaves a void, like a giant tree lying down leaving a gap in the sky that is difficult to fill.

Dr. Le Thong Nhat's Facebook page expressed condolences to his teacher. Photo: TV

Reporter Thu Phuong, 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 most honest and carefree teacher I knew. He never avoided the press, I could call him for an interview for dozens of minutes, he was extremely straightforward in his criticism of education and he never seemed to offend or make things difficult for journalists.

One time, I called him late at night, and he answered me very kindly. When he was sick, education reporters met and asked if he had visited Mr. Cuong yet? He was also a valuable collaborator with my father-in-law in writing textbooks and working with my husband's uncle, so I respected and loved him even more. Now he is gone, leaving behind so much regret and longing.

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

Dr. Le Thong Nhat - a student and colleague of Mr. Van Nhu Cuong shared: Writing about him is very difficult because no matter how much is written, there is still a lot missing. There is only one regret, which he certainly does not need: He has not been awarded the title of Excellent Teacher. But generations of his students all admire him with the title: "People's Teacher"!

TV