Keeping the fire of letters burning in the vast Kon Plong forest

GD&TĐ - In the morning they go to the fields and in the evening they go to class. The women in the highlands of Kon Plong (Quang Ngai province) still persevere in learning to read and write.

Night lights light the way to class

In the morning, she is busy with work in the fields. In the evening, after dinner, Mrs. Y King (Kon Plong commune, Quang Ngai province) arranges her books and prepares to go to class. From the villages, women who used to know how to read and write but forgot, or have never learned, invite each other to go to school. The small village road is dimly lit by flashlights. Rain or shine, everyone still tries to be present to learn.

“In the past, I was not educated, could not read or write, so I felt ashamed every time I signed documents. When I heard about the opening of a literacy class, I was determined to go to school. My family also encouraged me, telling me to try hard to learn to read and write. Because I am old, I am slow to learn, but the teachers taught me wholeheartedly. Now, I can read and write, and I am more confident when I go to the commune to do paperwork and procedures; I am an example for my children and grandchildren to try hard to study,” Ms. Y King shared.

Her story is also the common sentiment of many students of the literacy class in Kon Plong. They are laborers who work on the fields all year round, more familiar with hoes and plows than with pens and notebooks. In the morning they go to the fields, and in the evening they come back to study. The journey is not easy, but it is still full of laughter.

What is special is that many children and grandchildren of the students also follow their grandparents and parents to class. Some are just in elementary school, sitting in a corner of the class, diligently writing with adults. Some help their grandmother read the lesson and guide them on pronunciation.

Such lessons become a time for family bonding. Under the yellow light, the image of three generations sitting together, adults spelling out words, children chanting along, becomes a beautiful image in the vast Kon Plông forest.

Ms. Tran Thi Bao, a teacher at Kon Plong Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, who directly taught the literacy classes, said: “In the early days, it was really difficult for the people to access the written word. Many people had never held a pen before, their hands were shaking, and they were tired after writing a few strokes. Some people held the pen like they were holding a hoe. We had to hold each person’s hand to guide and teach each stroke and each letter.”

Sow letters with love and perseverance

Children and grandchildren follow their grandmothers and mothers to literacy classes.

According to literacy teachers, teaching older students requires much more patience and perseverance than teaching younger students. Teachers must always be dedicated, gentle, and encouraging so that students do not feel inferior or self-conscious. Some students want to quit after learning just a few words because they are afraid of being slow, but with just the right encouragement, they return to class.

At night, in the small classroom, the sound of spelling echoed through the forest. Some days it rained and the road was slippery, but people still persevered to go to class. They sat around the table, attentively looking at each letter appearing on the board. Flashlights and small study lamps shone on sunburned faces diligently studying to set an example for their children and grandchildren.

Mr. Vu Ngoc Thanh, Principal of Kon Plong Primary Boarding School, said: “The school opened 4 literacy classes with 102 students. Thanks to the efforts of the staff, teachers and the determination of the people, the attendance rate always reaches 80-90% every day. We always try to create the best conditions for the classes to run smoothly, from arranging classrooms, lighting to supporting books for students.”

In addition to teaching reading and writing, the teachers also teach life skills, health care, and child rearing. Many lessons become joyful and cozy thanks to the farming stories that students bring.

The night classes in Kon Plong have brought about many changes. From people who could not read or write, people can now read signs, write their names, and fill in information when doing administrative procedures. They also know how to take notes, calculate, and apply them to production and small business to improve their lives.

“Now I don’t have to worry about making a mistake when going to the market, and I can sign my own name when doing paperwork. I even teach my children and grandchildren the words I’ve learned. Knowing how to read and write makes life brighter,” Mrs. Y King smiled gently.

Thanks to the perseverance of the students and the dedication of the teachers, the literacy classes in the Kon Plong highlands do not stop at “knowing how to read and write”, but also kindle in the hearts of the people the desire for lifelong learning. Letters have truly become a bridge between knowledge and life, between dreams and reality.

On nights in the highlands, the classrooms under the small corrugated iron roofs are still lit. The sound of spelling echoes in the quiet space of the mountains and forests, like the sound of hope, of the journey to find the light of knowledge in the wilderness.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/giu-lua-con-chu-giua-dai-ngan-kon-plong-post751922.html