General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, an alumnus of Hà Nội's Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School and his former teacher Lê Đức Giảng, look back at photos from nearly 60 years ago. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — In the memories of the staff, teachers and employees of Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School in Hà Nội, Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng is remembered as a humble and approachable figure.

During the sorrowful time for the entire nation following the passing of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, those fortunate enough to have met and interacted with him recall precious moments with a great yet modest and humble leader.

"At the school gate, the General Secretary got out of the car, and I quickly stepped forward to greet him. At that time, the General Secretary's health was not good. I took his hand and walked with him. Suddenly, the General Secretary tilted his head and softly said to me, 'Let's walk hand in hand together.' This is an unforgettable memory in my life," recounted Lê Trung Kiên, Principal of Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School in Long Biên District.

A modest leader

Reflecting on the past, Kiên shared that memories of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng are always in his heart, especially during the school's 70th-anniversary celebration on November 14, 2020.

"I had the opportunity to meet General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng to invite him to the celebration. Despite his busy schedule, he gave me quite a lot of time. Interestingly, throughout our conversation, the General Secretary addressed me as 'teacher' and referred to himself as 'student',” he recalled.

“Besides talking about the school, he also asked if we had invited former teachers and students. When I said we did, he was visibly happy. His delicacy and humility as the highest leader of the Party and State are truly precious."

That year, the General Secretary attended the anniversary celebration as a former student.

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng attends the opening ceremony of the 2014-2015 school year at Hà Nội's Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

In every conversation, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng always expressed deep gratitude and respect for the teachers who educated and shaped his character, as well as sharing a close bond with Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School.

In the traditional room of Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School, there is a display featuring images of the student, young man and leader Nguyễn Phú Trọng. Among these are photos of monitor and youth union secretary of the 9B and 10B classes Nguyễn Phú Trọng with his gentle smile, a photo of student Nguyễn Phú Trọng with his close friends, a photo of Nguyễn Phú Trọng with his classmates and pictures of the General Secretary visiting the school and giving gifts to Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School students who scored high on university entrance exams.

Going through the school's old records, Principal Kiên read the teacher's comments about student Nguyễn Phú Trọng before graduation with emotion: "Rated A2. Outstanding in all subjects. Dedicated to studying, enthusiastic in labour, highly responsible in tasks, significantly contributed to the collective, good character, good attitude towards teachers and friends."

He said : "Stories of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng's challenging youth and his excellent academic achievements are always recounted in our special sessions, serving as motivation for both teachers and students to strive for excellence. We can say that the General Secretary is the spiritual support of our school."

Teacher Vũ Ngọc Huỳnh also passionately recounted stories of the intelligent, diligent student Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

"Back then, I taught 6th-grade math, and Trọng, along with some other students from Đông Anh, came to study. They all came from very poor families, had to bring rice, stay with local families or teachers and even collect firewood from the Red River to cook their meals. Despite these hardships, they all studied well, were well-behaved and had a strong will to succeed."

During his six years at Nguyễn Gia Thiều High School, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng always participated in city-level academic competitions, particularly excelling in literature. When he was in 10th grade, he impressed his peers with a lengthy presentation during extracurricular activities on the plight of farmers in Ngô Tất Tố's novel titled Tắt Đèn (Turning off lights), Nguyên Hồng's novel titled Bỉ Vỏ (Thieves) and the condition of women in Tố Hữu's poetry.

Even then, he felt the pain of human suffering and was deeply concerned with the themes of good and evil, loss and preservation.

Teacher Phúc

"I didn't get to see Trọng one last time," said teacher Đặng Thị Phúc, who taught General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng in 4th grade, as she sobbed uncontrollably.

At the age of 92, Phúc's hearing has deteriorated, her legs are weak and her memory often fails, making her repeat herself at times. Despite this, her memories of the special student Nguyễn Phú Trọng remain vivid. A boy with a side-swept fringe and pale skin, who wore the same brown outfit with a high-collared shirt and two side pockets throughout the school year.

Trọng's family lived in Đông Hội, while Phúc taught in Mai Lâm. Since Đông Hội only had 15 fourth-grade students, they joined the 33 students in Mai Lâm. In a class of 48, Trọng stood out as the youngest but the best student, always participating and contributing to lessons

"Trọng's family was poor. They ate sweet potatoes and cassava and went barefoot all year round. He had only one brown outfit and didn't even have a torn shirt to wear under his clothes during the cold winter. I loved Trọng as if he were my youngest brother," Phúc recalled.

Because he was the top student, Trọng was chosen to represent the students of both villages at the end-of-year ceremony. Watching the small boy in his usual brown outfit and bare feet, Phúc felt a mix of pride and heartache.

After 4th grade, Trọng moved on to Nguyễn Gia Thiều School and Phúc relocated to Hà Nội. They lost contact from then on.

In 2001, after attending a reunion with her former fourth-grade students and learning that her once-little student had become successful, Phúc was overjoyed and wrote a poem titled "The Little Student of the Past," dedicated to N.P.T.

“At twelve, with innocent hair,

In brown clothes and bare feet,

Corn and sweet potatoes your fare,

The youngest, but none could compete.

Eagerly, you would always speak,

Whenever the lesson was clear,

A student, humble and unique,

Your passion evident, sincere.”

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng visits his teacher, Ms Phúc, after years of searching due to lost contact. — Photo courtesy of Ms Đặng Thị Phúc

Four years later, in 2005, she had the opportunity to read this poem at a teachers' poetry gathering. It was this poem that helped the little student of the past find his old teacher.

"One day, I received a phone call and was very surprised when the voice on the other end was Trọng, saying he would come to visit. At that time, Trọng was the Secretary of the Hà Nội Party Committee and very busy, so I dismissed the idea, saying there was no need to visit. But a few days later, Trọng came.

“Upon seeing me, he said, 'I have been looking for you for decades and now that I have found you, you still won't let me visit.' We were so moved we couldn't speak. Back then, my hair was still black, but his had already turned gray," Phúc recounted.

A handwritten New Year's letter from General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng to his former teacher. — VNA/VNS Photo Việt Anh

With trembling hands, she opened a handwritten New Year's letter from her former student. Despite being the General Secretary – the highest leader in the country and burdened with countless responsibilities – he never forgot his old teacher from the classroom in Mai Lâm Village.

The simple letter, with an ordinary envelope, contained no titles or hints of his high status, only the heartfelt wishes of student Nguyễn Phú Trọng to his old teacher: "Wishing you and your family good health and longevity in the New Year; may your family be prosperous, everything goes smoothly, and you have many new joys. I will always cherish the deep, unfading memories of the years you taught me."

Having advanced through many higher educational levels and held important positions in the capital, the National Assembly, the Party and the State, student Nguyễn Phú Trọng became a great leader, ready to face challenges, bear responsibilities and uphold the Party's purity and the nation's enduring values.

At 80 years old, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng was a shining example of revolutionary ethics, a sharp and intelligent politician and an outstanding theoretician of the Party. He dedicated his life to the ideals of national independence and socialism and the happiness of the people.

The heart of the true communist Nguyễn Phú Trọng has stopped beating, but his spirit and character will live on forever. — VNS