Literacy class for drug addicts in the middle of Thac Ba Lake

In early July, we visited a literacy class at the Yen Bai Drug Rehabilitation Center located on an island in the middle of Thac Ba Lake (in Yen Binh District). The class had 26 students of different ages and ethnicities, some with gray hair still diligently spelling the first letters. The common point of these people was that most of them came from difficult circumstances, had never been to school, and because of lack of knowledge, became addicted to drugs.

Addiction due to ignorance

Student Thao A Tu (born in 1992, Mong ethnic group, Lao Chai commune, Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province) was admitted to a drug rehabilitation facility at the end of 2023. Due to difficult family circumstances, Thao A Tu was not allowed to go to school. When friends invited him to use drugs, he followed suit and became addicted without realizing it.

With the support of the Drug Rehabilitation Center Management Board, Thao A Tu was very excited to attend literacy classes, be taught Mandarin, and do simple calculations. He considered this an opportunity to rebuild his life in the future.

Yen Bai province's drug rehabilitation center is located on an island in the middle of Thac Ba lake. Photo: Hoang Huu.

Mr. Tao A Tu confided that he is over 30 years old but is illiterate, so everything is difficult, he cannot read billboards or propaganda posters about legal policies. Coming to rehab here, there is a literacy class, so he joined many other students with the hope of learning to read and write. After completing the rehab period, he will return to his hometown to find a job to rebuild his life.

In this literacy class, there are 8 female students, all of them are Mong ethnic people, from highland districts such as Tram Tau, Mu Cang Chai. The teacher guides them carefully how to hold chalk, write letters on a small board, then practice reading and spelling. During the course, the teacher will also teach simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Special class for drug addicts at Yen Bai Provincial Drug Rehabilitation Center. Photo: Hoang Huu.

Giang Thi May (in Nam Khat commune, Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province) is 30 years old this year, but has been addicted to drugs for many years. Like many other students, Giang Thi May was taught basic literacy and addition and subtraction by teachers. The main goal is that after finishing the course, knowing how to read, write and calculate will help their lives change for the better.

She explained that before, she lived in a poor village and had a hard life so she could not go to school. When she went out with friends, she was invited to try drugs, but after many times, she became addicted and could not quit. In early 2024, she was sent by local authorities to a compulsory drug rehabilitation center in Yen Bai province.

In this special literacy class, there are 8 female students. Photo: Hoang Huu.

Here, Giang Thi May went through stages such as treatment for withdrawal, detoxification, treatment of infections; education , counseling, behavioral rehabilitation; labor, therapy, vocational training. In particular, she was able to participate in a literacy class for students who had never been to school. May said she would try to practice reading and writing so that when she returned to her hometown, she could work to help her family suffer less.

Literacy for a brighter future

While instructing students to read, teacher Nguyen Hong Phong - an officer of the Yen Bai Province Drug Rehabilitation Center (assigned to be the class leader) stopped to remind students to read the letters clearly and not to drag them out.

Mr. Phong shared that there are very small things but even if he reminded them dozens of times, students still forgot. While teaching, he also encouraged students to overcome their inferiority complex and self-esteem to learn to use the knowledge to benefit themselves.

Teacher Nguyen Hong Phong - homeroom teacher of the special class guides students to recognize letters. Photo: Hoang Huu.

"The lessons in this special class should have been learned by everyone when they were 3 or 5 years old. However, there are many people here with two types of hair on their heads who are still spelling words. Perhaps it is because of their lack of education and understanding that they easily go astray. Teaching illiteracy to ordinary people is difficult, teaching those who have made mistakes and gotten involved in drug addiction is even more difficult. Partly they are shy because they are old and still go to school, partly they always feel inferior and self-conscious" - said Mr. Phong.

Scribbles of students with gray hair. Photo: Hoang Huu.

Mr. Le Cong Huan, Director of Yen Bai Province Drug Rehabilitation Center, said that opening literacy classes for drug addicts aims to help students learn to read and write, and write their names and ages. This will make it easier for them to access the knowledge disseminated at the Drug Rehabilitation Center. After returning to their hometowns, they can reintegrate into the community, absorb information disseminated in production and labor, and develop the economy in their place of residence.

From 2023 to present, Yen Bai Province Drug Rehabilitation Center has organized 2 literacy classes for more than 50 students. Each course will last 3 months, after finishing, students will be classified into good, fair, average, and poor.

Students in the special class are being instructed in math. The knowledge they learn will help them have more confidence in life after returning to their hometown. Photo: Hoang Huu.

In general, after the literacy classes, 100% of the students know how to read, write, and do simple addition and subtraction. Some have reintegrated into the community, while others are still diligently studying and spelling with letters every day. It is from here that hope and faith are lit for those who have made mistakes, returning to society to have a brighter future.

Source: https://danviet.vn/lop-xoa-mu-chu-cho-nguoi-cai-nghien-giua-ho-thac-ba-20240710171301969.htm