On the morning of September 5, along with the whole country, in the remote mountainous area of Tra Tan (Da Nang City), students go to school not only carrying a pair of books but also a journey across streams and forest banks.
Tran Cao Van Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities still has to borrow a communal house to have enough classes for two sessions/day, the boarding kitchen is just a temporary house, many other schools in the area do not have playgrounds, libraries or learning equipment. Although the children sowed on difficult soil, the desire to learn of 1,490 Tra Tan students still burned non-stop.
In that picture, the message of "not accepting flowers to celebrate the opening day, converting them into books, scholarships for disadvantaged students" implemented by localities in Da Nang has brought a new breeze - both simple and practical. For newly merged localities with limited facilities, this policy becomes even more meaningful.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Lai - Secretary of the Party Committee of Tra Tan commune said: "Social resources in the highlands are still limited, schools lack classrooms, equipment and even playgrounds. When the opening day is no longer filled with flowers, but instead with practical gifts, students will have more motivation to continue moving.
Mr. Duong Quoc Viet - Principal of Ly Tu Trong Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, emotionally shared: "Last school year, despite lack of facilities, teachers and students still achieved many proud achievements. That is a testament to the determination to rise of students in mountainous areas. Accompanyment from the community will be a great source of encouragement for them to have more confidence".
In Quang Phu ward, before the opening day, local leaders sent an open letter calling on kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools in the area not to accept congratulatory flowers during the opening ceremony. Instead, all hearts can be converted into additional books for libraries, scholarships, school supplies or student service works.
Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Vice Chairman of Quang Phu Ward People's Committee said: This school year, the whole ward has nearly 5,000 students studying at 9 educational institutions. From the new policy, many businesses and units have accompanied by giving scholarships, sponsoring playgrounds, teaching equipment, or supporting nutrition and school safety.
Not brilliant on the opening day, but students' joy will last longer when there is a new set of books, quality meals or an open playground. That humanistic policy is spreading from the city to the mountains, lighting up more hope so that the children of the book can sprout on the mountain slopes and fields with many hardships.
