Carving words in the middle of hard-working mountains and forests
From the center of Khe Sanh, down nearly 30km along National Highway 9 to Cam Lo, then continuing to cross more than 30km of the winding mountain road to get to Cat and Tria villages - the two most remote schools of Huong Son Primary and Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities (Huong Phung commune, Quang Tri). The rugged terrain and unstable traffic make this place covered in clouds all year round, with the letters changing like the winding paths that cross the mountain slopes.
Despite the difficulties, for many years, Mr. Ho Van Thanh (45 years old, Khe Sanh commune) has traveled dozens of kilometers to get into the village to teach. Along with Mr. Thanh, Mr. Ho Xuan Sinh, Ms. Tran Thi Kieu Oanh and many teachers from other plains back up to stay in the village, stay in class, and "keep the fire" of Van Kieu students.
Cat and Tria schools in the old Huong Son commune have only had electricity since 2016 and have had phone signals for about the past two years. Before that, teachers almost lived completely isolated from the outside. The main road to the village is a forest road, during the rainy season, landslides often occur, many sections are broken, and rocks are lying around, causing accidents at any time.
During the rainy season, both Cat and Tria villages were isolated due to rising streams. Teachers' teaching trips suddenly became a journey to overcome floods with words, both difficult and dangerous.
Without love for the profession and love for students, it would be difficult for anyone to stay here, Mr. Thanh confided.
Two decades of following the village and the story of a teacher in Cat, Tria
Having been attached to Cat - Escaping for more than 20 years, Mr. Ho Van Thanh is the one who understands the hardships of students in the highlands better than anyone. In 2005, after graduating from Quang Tri Pedagogical College, he was assigned to Cat school. At that time, without a way, it took him a whole day to cross the forest to get there. At that time, the classroom was just a small hut built temporarily in the middle of a thousand years.
That day, the teachers were all away from home so they lived together very affectionately. No electricity, no roads, people's lives are still poor. Every time I go to class, I have to carry fish sauce with salt, rice and books along the forest road. I only come home once every two months, the teacher recalled. After teaching, teachers go into the forest to pick and fish snails in streams to improve their meals.
But it is also in that harsh mountain and forest that humanity is warm. When he was seriously ill, the villagers took turns using a hammock to carry him through the forest for seven hours to National Highway 9 to take him to the hospital in time. It was that feeling that made me unable to leave this place - he was moved.
Currently, Cat School has 80 students with 7 teachers. Tria School has 40 students with 3 teachers. 100% of students are Van Kieu people, many of whom are in difficult circumstances and depend on the fields. The rate of post-mschool learning is still low, which is the biggest concern for teachers.
I am also a Van Kieu. To study and become a teacher, I want my students to have a better life in the future" - Mr. Thanh said.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Sam - Principal of the school said that Cat and Tria are the two most difficult schools: "On rainy and flood days, the road is almost impossible. But because of their responsibility towards the students, the teachers still try to come to class.
Huong Phung Commune Secretary, Mr. Ho Van Vinh, said that most of the people here are Van Kieu and Pa Co ethnic groups. To facilitate children's learning, the commune has to maintain many schools in the villages. "But teachers are very hard-working. As for Cat and Tria, the road is too difficult and dangerous. The locality recommends that superiors soon invest in the road to make it more convenient for people, teachers and students to travel" - he said.
