Classrooms have been lit up
In the middle of September, the sunshine in the border region spreads honey-like yellow all over the hills, in the new classrooms of Quoc Khanh Inter-level Boarding School, the sound of lectures echoes regularly. Outside, workers are still urgently completing the dining hall, dormitory and some auxiliary items.
The school has been put into operation but cannot fully operate its functions. Some students still have to study at old facilities, waiting for the day they can be transferred back to study at home.
The construction unit is mobilizing manpower, striving to complete the entire project by the end of September.
While the dining hall has not been handed over, the school temporarily orders meals from units that have been appraised by specialized agencies.
Rice is divided into trays and delivered to each class. Teachers and support forces divide meals, watch students eat and collect after lunch.
The inconveniences in the transition period do not diminish the joy of students when studying in the new school.
Dam Duy Hung, an 8A1 student, residing in Phạc village, excitedly said: "The new school is spacious, well-built, with better classrooms and equipment than before, so I am very happy. We have more favorable learning conditions. I hope the items will be completed soon so that learning and living are stable.
La Tuyet Hoa, an 8A2 student, residing in An Khuyen village, Quoc Khanh commune, was also excited when entering the new classroom.
The classroom is clean and beautiful, the facilities are more complete, so we are all excited. I will try to study well and get used to the new lifestyle" - Hoa shared.
According to the ongoing plan, the school has about 1,190 students. Initially, 392 students are prioritized for boarding. The rest will be arranged by the school after receiving the facilities.
Memories of the classroom on the top of the pass
Standing in the middle of the new school area that is gradually being completed, Mr. Pham Van Hung - Vice Principal in charge of Quoc Khanh Inter-level Boarding School - recalled the small classrooms that were once located on the top of Bong Lau Pass.
“Previously, in the village on the top of Bong Lau pass, there were simple combined classes, each class with only about 18-20 students. In winter, the wind blows into the classroom, bone-chilling cold” - Mr. Hung recounted.
Not only studying in poor conditions, some students live 18-20km away from school. In winter, to be on time for class, they have to leave home when the sky is not yet bright.
Teacher Nguyen Thi Khuyen, an Informatics teacher, has witnessed many times students traveling long distances to class.
According to her, when the dormitory is fully operational, students will no longer have to travel far every day, especially during cold spells.
Some students had to start when the village was still dark. The long distance and cold weather made going to class very difficult. With a new school and dormitory, students are fed, stayed, and studied at school, and teachers also have conditions to take better care of and support students" - Ms. Khuyen said.
However, the new school also places more responsibility on the teachers' shoulders. Many students, including 8th and 9th graders, have never lived far from their families.
When entering the dormitory, students must learn from folding blankets and sheets, arranging belongings, maintaining personal hygiene to implementing a common schedule.
For 1st and 2nd grade students, the school plans to coordinate with parents and arrange teacher support in the early stages.
Teachers not only teach knowledge in class but also have to take care of and train life skills for students instead of parents. The first months will definitely be hard, but when students get used to the boarding environment, everything will gradually stabilize" - Mr. Hung shared.
