Hồng Thị Hài in the class with her daughter. — Photo giaoducthoidai.vn

THÁI NGUYÊN — As dusk settles over the mountains, the cultural house in Mỏ Chì Hamlet glows into life, where a small but determined literacy class gathers each night, driven by the hope of changing lives through education.

The class currently has 18 students. Although the number of students is not large, behind each name is a story of a difficult life.

Most of the students are the main breadwinners in their families, working in the fields during the day and going to school at night.

Some live far away and have to walk kilometres on bumpy mountain roads. Some days, it rains and the roads are slippery, but they still persevere to get to class.

Hồng Thị Hài, a 24-year-old Mông ethnic mother of four young children, had to quit school early without even knowing the alphabet because her family was very poor.

When hearing that Cúc Đường Primary School opened a literacy class in the hamlet, she did not hesitate to register.

“I wanted to know how to read and write to find a job in a company and do not need to ask someone to sign for me. Now illiterate is miserable, dare not go anywhere, do anything,” Hài told giaoducthoidai.vn.

Hài has to take the children to the class with her. The children are very well-behaved. They always keep quiet to let her write and read every word.

The image of a young mother trying to overcome hardship and eager to learn inspires admiration.

Dương Văn Khìn, a 40-year-old man, is one of the most diligent students in class.

During the day, he works for hire, and at night, he hastily eats dinner and goes to class.

“Sometimes I come home late from work and am very tired, but I still try to attend the class. Not knowing how to read and write is very disadvantageous. When I go shopping, I cannot calculate, and I have to ask someone else to write it for me. Now I am determined to learn how to read and write to be more confident,” he said.

Teacher Hoàng Thị Bích Huệ instructs students to write. — Photo giaoducthoidai.vn

Hoàng Thị Bích Huệ, a teacher at Cúc Đường Primary School, said: “The most difficult thing for the students is that they are very busy making a living.”

“Some had to quit because they found work as labourers. Some are so poor that they do not have enough money for petrol to attend the class. We understand and sympathise, but we can only encourage them and find ways to help them maintain their studies."

Not only teachers, Huệ and her colleagues are also friends, sisters and motivators.

Whenever a learner is absent, she asks the hamlet head to visit and encourage them to return.

Teachers also organise small gatherings where they share stories of successful learners to inspire others.

“We not only teach literacy but also chat and share everyday stories. Learners laugh, tell tales about their fields and crops, then eagerly return to writing. Teaching adults cannot be rigid but must be gentle and approachable, using a variety of methods to help them absorb lessons more easily,” Huệ said.

Vũ Mạnh Cường, principal of Cúc Đường Primary School, said that after more than one year of opening the class, there are encouraging achievements.

Many students can read newspapers, write their names, sign bank loan documents, and even search for information on the Internet, said Cường.

Hài said: “In the past, when I went to the market, people would write my debts in a notebook, but I had no idea what they wrote. Now, I can write and read it myself. It feels wonderful.”

Not only helping people become literate, the class has also opened a new door in their way of thinking.

Many learners have come to realise that studying is not only for children but an opportunity to transform themselves.

Some, after learning to read and write, have become confident enough to work far from home, applying for jobs in industrial zones, gradually stabilising their lives.

To sustain the class, Cúc Đường Primary School and the local authorities have made every effort, though more social support is still needed.

“We hope to continue receiving attention and encouragement from local authorities and social organisations, so that learners will have more motivation to attend class,” said Cường.

Small classes like the one in Mỏ Chì Hamlet are quietly transforming the hamlet. Amid countless difficulties, the persistence of these classes has helped poor farmers gradually change, live more meaningful and fulfilling lives, and take steady steps towards escaping poverty. — VNS