Teacher Lo Van Thoai, in his military uniform, and his students are working to eradicate illiteracy. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee.)

Teacher Lo Van Thoai is of Lao ethnicity, born and raised in Muong Va village, Muong Va commune, Sop Cop district, Son La province.

Dual mission

These days, the first cold winds of the season have begun to sweep across the villages, yet every evening, teacher Lo Van Thoai, a military officer (Nam Lanh Border Guard Post, Sop Cop District, Son La Province), still goes to class, bringing literacy to the Mong ethnic people.

Teacher Thoai graduated from Border Guard Intermediate School No. 1. In 2003, he was assigned to work at the Muong Lan Border Guard Post, working in the Community Mobilization Team. In 2021, he was transferred to the Nam Lanh Border Guard Post.

Twenty-one years after graduating have also been twenty-one years of him directly teaching literacy classes to the Hmong people in the border communes of Muong Lan and Muong Va.

Teacher Thoai shared: “The people here lack the opportunity to go to school, so they are limited in knowledge and farming techniques, leading to low yields and difficult lives. Seeing this, I wanted to contribute a small part of my efforts to help the people learn to read and write, and apply science and technology to production in order to increase productivity and income, thereby improving their lives.”

As both a soldier in Ho Chi Minh's army and a teacher bearing the responsibility of bringing literacy to ethnic minority communities, Mr. Thoai did not shy away from the hardships of climbing mountains and crossing streams to get to class.

However, the literacy class taught by the teacher in military uniform did not get off to a smooth start.

Teacher Thoai recalled: “In 2003 and 2004, when I went to people's homes to encourage them to attend literacy classes, they refused, even refusing to talk to me because they didn't understand the importance of learning and literacy. In addition, the language and cultural differences created a certain distance between us. In some families, both parents and children were illiterate, so simultaneously encouraging them to attend classes was a difficult challenge.”

After numerous unsuccessful attempts at persuasion, Mr. Thoai decided to change his "strategy." He adopted the "four together" principle: "eating together, living together, working together, and speaking the ethnic language together."

Thanks to the "four together" principle, Mr. Thoai fostered closeness and eliminated cultural and linguistic barriers. Throughout his work, Mr. Thoai patiently explained literacy to the villagers, helping them to prosper, escape poverty, overcome hunger, and develop their homeland.

“As soon as one worry is resolved, another arises: when trying to get students to attend class, I have to strive to build a program and class schedule that is interesting and engaging. If it’s boring or too difficult, they will drop out, and then the effort to get people to attend class will be for naught,” Mr. Thoai confided, adding that for parts that are too difficult, he usually teaches more slowly and asks each student individually.

Or, when I feel the classroom atmosphere is tense, instead of trying to cram, I organize games or tell funny stories for everyone to listen to, which makes learning more relaxed.

After many years of dedicated teaching, with a sense of responsibility and consistent ideological work, the students of this military-uniformed teacher graduated regularly and earned the trust and affection of the local people.

"By 2017, the villagers finally understood the meaning of the letters the soldiers brought to them, and they encouraged each other to enroll in literacy classes," Mr. Thoai happily shared.

The students attending the literacy class taught by Mr. Thoai are mainly from the Hmong ethnic group. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee.)

Motivating students

Throughout his 21 years of teaching, Mr. Thoai has been involved with many classes of people of different ages, including the elderly and the young. Many of them, after learning to read and write, have gone on to spread the word and teach those who are illiterate, helping them understand the value of education.

Teacher Lo Van Thoai recounted: “I will always remember my student Giang Pa De. She came from a poor family and didn't have the means to go to school. When she came to the literacy class, she showed a proactive and eager spirit. After completing phase 1, she continued with phase two of the literacy program. Now, she has grown up, earned the trust of the villagers, and has been elected as the head of the Women's Association branch in the village.”

"After completing the course, I actively promoted and encouraged people to participate in literacy classes. As someone who has experienced and understands the value of literacy, the process of persuading people to attend classes has been more effective," said Mr. Thoai.

Beyond his literacy work, military teacher Lo Van Thoai also dedicates time to helping people understand and abandon outdated feudal customs such as child marriage; and to disseminating legal information, including the Law on Marriage and Family.

Sharing her thoughts about her teacher, Ms. Giang Thi Mi (from Muong Lan commune, Sop Cop district, Son La province) emotionally said: “Before, I was very hesitant to go to school because I was too old to learn to read and write like a first-grade child, which was embarrassing. But Mr. Thoai was very enthusiastic and patient in persuading me. Throughout the teaching process, he was always dedicated. Many days in the freezing winter, when the cold in the mountains felt like it was cutting through my skin, and the roads were muddy from the rain, he still came to class regularly.”

"Going to school, I learned to read and write, and I learned how to use technologies like phones and research farming materials to increase production efficiency. If I hadn't been literate, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Teacher Lo Van Thoai is one of 60 exemplary teachers honored in the "Sharing with Teachers" program in 2024, jointly organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union, the Ministry of Education and Training, and Thien Long Group.

Source: giaoducthoidai.vn