Eradicating illiteracy for people to have new opportunities
For many years, when the afternoon falls in the border area of Bo Y commune (Quang Ngai province), the lights at the Phia Phap village cultural house light up again, signaling the start of a special class.
There, Captain A Bung (47 years old), an officer of Dak Xu Border Guard Station, still regularly stands in class, persistently teaching literacy to "students" who have passed half their lives. With dedication and love for literacy, that border guard soldier is quietly bringing the light of knowledge to the people in the border area.
The literacy classes in charge of Captain A Bung have students who are ethnic minorities, mostly elderly, some come to learn to read for the first time, and some return to eradicate illiteracy.
As an ethnic minority person, who has been attached to the border area for many years, Captain A Bung understands the difficulties of the people here. He said that Bo Y commune has many villages of ethnic minorities, the level of education is still low, the rate of illiterate people is high, while the economic life is still very poor.
From that reality, his biggest concern is how to bring literacy closer to the people, so that every citizen, especially the elderly, women, and young people who do not know how to read, have the opportunity to enter the classroom and open a new door for themselves.
In 2023, Captain A Bung advised Dak Xu Border Guard Station to coordinate with local authorities to open literacy classes in Phia Phap and Ke Joi villages (Bo Y commune). The two classes attracted more than 40 students, many of whom were over 50 years old, writing their names for the first time in their lives. Not only is he the initiator, for nearly 3 years, he has also directly taught.
During the day, he performs patrol and border protection duties, and in the evening he holds chalk to stand in class. Lessons take place from 6:30 pm to 9 pm, three sessions a week, lasting for nine months.
Every break, people are worried about forgetting letters, so even in rain and wind, I try to come to class," Captain A Bung shared. According to him, teaching letters to the elderly is a challenging journey. Many students have blurred vision, their hands are trembling, even a single stroke of handwriting must be practiced many times. During the day, people go to work in the fields, and only have time to come to class in the evening, so reviewing lessons is limited, and knowledge easily fades away.
To make students interested and easy to absorb, Captain A Bung flexibly innovates teaching methods, incorporates arts, tells everyday stories and combines legal propaganda in each class. For him, the greatest joy is when he sees students being able to read papers themselves, write applications, calculate when going to the market, use phones or teach children and grandchildren to read at home.
Teaching letters to make border life more prosperous
Ms. Y Trinh (52 years old) - a literacy class student in Phia Phap village - emotionally said: "Before, when going to the market, I had to ask others to read for me, and even when paying, I had to ask. Since teacher A Bung taught me to read, write, calculate, and sign names myself. Knowing how to read, life has changed a lot, I am more confident.
Not only stopping at teaching literacy, Captain A Bung also considers each class as a mass mobilization activity. In each lecture, he skillfully integrates propaganda on national border laws, drug prevention, marriage and family; mobilizing people not to have early marriages, not to have consanguineous marriages, and not to illegally cross the border.
At the same time, he guides people to apply science and technology to production and animal husbandry, gradually changing their way of thinking and working to improve their lives.
Lieutenant Colonel Phan Van Tuan - Commander of Dak Xu Border Guard Station - assessed: "Captain A Bung not only teaches literacy but also helps people change their awareness, arouse the will to rise up in life. His simple but persistent actions have contributed to embellishing the image of'Uncle Ho' soldiers' in the hearts of people in border areas.
In the border mountains and forests, that soldier still silently sows letters, sows faith and hope, so that from the first letters of life, people in the Fatherland's border area have more motivation to rise up and build a prosperous and sustainable life.
Nearly three years of attachment to literacy classes, Captain A Bung has been repeatedly commended by the Chairman of Kon Tum Provincial People's Committee (old) and the Command of Kon Tum Provincial Border Guard (old). In particular, at the "Sharing with Teachers" Program in 2025 organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Federation, he was one of 80 typical teachers nationwide honored.
