Lessons from the special opening ceremony in the only island commune of the capital

TPO - Amidst the waves of the three-river confluence, the sound of the school opening drum in Minh Chau island commune resounds loudly but also evokes many concerns. Every day, students still cross the ferry to go to class, teachers still quietly sow knowledge, and the biggest dream of both teachers and students here is a bridge connecting the two banks, to make the journey to school less arduous, to make the knowledge more solid on the only island of the Capital.

Báo Tiền Phong•06/09/2025

After the opening ceremony of the new school year, teachers and students of the kindergarten in Minh Chau island commune ( Hanoi ) sang and danced enthusiastically. The laughter and singing of children were the bustling sounds that woke up the school after a long, quiet summer. Minh Chau commune is the only island commune in Hanoi, isolated at the confluence of the Red River, Da River, and Lo River with a population of about 6,600 people.

On the afternoon of September 5, after the opening ceremony, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nam and a teacher in charge of the 5-year-old class at Minh Chau Kindergarten taught the students their first lesson about gratitude to grandparents and parents. Before introducing the first letters of the 5-year-old kindergarten program, the children were made to sing, dance, and recite poems to make them interested and love going to school.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nam, Minh Chau Kindergarten, gives gifts to children.

Ms. Nam said that the class has 22 children, each with a different situation but many of them come from poor families. Some are disabled, some have parents who work far away and have to live with their grandparents. The grandparents are old and do not know how to ride a motorbike, so every morning they take their grandchildren on a long walk to school, sweating their backs. Loving the students, Ms. Nam and the teachers are even more dedicated to taking care of and teaching them every study and playtime.

For 10th graders, the commune does not have a high school, so they have to take a ferry across the river to go to school every day. Ms. Nam also has a child of middle school age preparing to enter high school, so she expressed her wish to have a bridge soon so that students, teachers, and people can travel more conveniently.

“If my child goes to school by ferry, it is very dangerous on rainy and windy days, and my parents are worried about going to work,” said Ms. Nam.

The teacher went to each desk to monitor each student's writing and guide them on how to take notes effectively.

Minh Chau Secondary School is just a few steps away from the kindergarten. This school year, the school has only 13 classes with 432 students. Right after the opening ceremony, teachers and students together entered the first hours of the new school year. In the first grade of grade 6, the students were still confused, the teacher went to each desk to monitor each student's writing style, instructing them on how to take notes effectively.

Mr. Le Duc Tho, Principal of the primary school, shared his joy that this year, students are receiving free lunch under the City's support policy. Thanks to the free lunch, parents are assured, excited, and have less pressure on expenses. Teachers and students of the school are ready to enter the new school year, however, some teachers still have to take the ferry across the river every day, which is a difficulty and obstacle, especially during the rainy and stormy season.

Proposal to build inter-level school in island commune

On the afternoon of September 5, a delegation from the Hanoi Department of Education and Training visited and presented gifts including 4 televisions, 5,000 notebooks, and 2,000 pens to students and teachers of schools in Minh Chau island commune to encourage teachers and students before a new school year with many difficulties, challenges, and many goals that need to be achieved.

Leaders of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training and leaders of the Commune People's Committee encouraged students and teachers to start the new school year.

Mr. Tran The Cuong, Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, and his Deputy Directors inspected teaching, asked teachers, shared joy with students on the first day of school, and gave moon cakes to preschool children.

Mr. Cuong encouraged students to be good, study well, and have the dream of growing up to become useful people for society. At the same time, he told teachers in difficult areas to try harder and care for and pay attention to each student's situation.

Hanoi Department of Education and Training donated 4 televisions, 5,000 notebooks, and 2,000 pens to students in Minh Chau commune.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Bui Thai Son commune said that there are currently 3 schools with 1,200 students including: kindergarten, primary school and secondary school, but no high school. Every day, about 400 high school students have to go to school by ferry across the river, which is extremely difficult and arduous. On sunny days, it is okay, but on rainy days, it is very difficult for students to cross the ferry, posing a potential safety risk.

Schools in the island commune were built 15 to nearly 20 years ago, so the facilities are degraded in many places. There is a lack of sports fields, parking lots, damaged fire protection systems, desks and chairs are not suitable for students' height and age. The teaching staff is short of 3 teachers (Arts, Literature, Foreign Language).

Mr. Son said that the lack of high schools and difficult roads have reduced the rate of students moving on to grade 10, increasing costs for parents. The People's Committee of Minh Chau Commune has developed an investment project for Minh Chau Inter-level Secondary and High School, in order to both meet the needs of on-site learning and optimize investment resources. The school can be built in a new location according to the standards of facilities of a modern, advanced multi-level general school. In the immediate future, the secondary school can be renovated and repaired to add a high school level so that students can go to school near home.

In addition, 58 teachers have to cross the river by ferry every day to go to school. Minh Chau commune leaders proposed special preferential policies for teachers and workers working in the commune such as an incentive allowance equal to 70% of the current salary plus a leadership position allowance, a seniority allowance exceeding the framework (if any) within 5 years, and other benefits according to regulations.

To improve the quality of education, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Minh Chau Commune proposed that the Hanoi Department of Education and Training support the training and development of teachers in information technology, music , STEM, and foreign languages, to meet the requirements of the general education program innovation. Assign highly qualified teachers to review the entrance exam for junior high school students to grade 10, review the exam for excellent students, and support excellent high school teachers to teach at the joint junior high school and high school after its establishment.

Providing funding to support travel expenses for students and teachers to cross the river by ferry creates conditions for students and teachers to study and work with peace of mind, reduces the burden on parents, and ensures the right to study and access to education for students in disadvantaged areas.

Acknowledging the difficulties and efforts of teachers and students of schools in Minh Chau island commune, Mr. Tran The Cuong, Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, said that if the commune's proposals and recommendations are within its authority, the Department will resolve them to ensure the rights of teachers and students. For matters beyond its authority, the Department of Education and Training will speak up and propose to the City People's Committee to jointly remove and resolve difficulties for schools in the commune.