At the beginning of the school year, students in mountainous areas should not drop out of school halfway.

Efforts to mobilize students to class

Duc Hanh Primary and Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities (PTDTBT) in Coc Pang Commune is one of the most disadvantaged communes in Cao Bang Province. 100% of the students here are ethnic minorities, mainly Mong ethnic people, living on towering rocky mountains, lacking fresh water, arable land, and having a difficult life. For many years, at the beginning of each new school year, teachers have walked all over the highland roads to mobilize students to go to school.

Many families in Coc Pang commune (Cao Bang) live on high mountain tops bordering China.

In the 2025-2026 school year, in order to mobilize the maximum number of students to attend class, the Department of Education and Training of Cao Bang province has directed schools in the province to start classes 1 week in advance. However, due to the school's facilities being severely affected by Typhoon Yagi , Duc Hanh Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities decided to start classes from August 21, 2025, 2 weeks earlier, to best prepare for the new school year.

On the day of the gathering, the school was short of many students, so the teachers actively mobilized children to go to school. Mr. Hoang Cao Cuong, Principal of Duc Hanh Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, said: Teachers coordinated with the commune and hamlets to go to the children's homes to mobilize them to go to class. Many students' homes were too far away, so the school picked them up and let them stay at the school dormitory. Thanks to such efforts, by the opening day, the whole school had 875 students but only 11 students had not yet attended class. The school is still coordinating with hamlets to mobilize families and students.

Teachers and students of Duc Hanh Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Coc Pang Commune (Cao Bang) on the first day of the new school year.

Huy Giap Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Huy Giap Commune, previously had a situation of students dropping out of school. This school year, on the first day of gathering (1 week before the opening ceremony), the school was absent 15 students. Mr. Be Van Cuong, Principal of Huy Giap Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, said: After the teachers went to propagate and mobilize, the next day 9 more students came to class, the whole school was still absent 6 students. The school continued to coordinate with the neighborhood to mobilize, on the opening day, the whole school had 100% of students with 293 students, 100% of whom were ethnic minorities.

Concerned about dropout

For many years, the situation of students in mountainous and border areas of Cao Bang province dropping out of school has still occurred. Through inspection, the majority of secondary school students who dropped out of school are those who have started a family or are working for a company. Mr. Quan Van Thuong, Principal of Thuong Ha Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Co Ba Commune, said: At the primary level, students drop out of school mainly in grades 4 or 5 because their homes are in remote mountainous areas, and their parents force them to stay home to work and farm.

In order to mobilize students to attend classes, from the beginning of summer, teachers have been closely following the area, going to each house to persuade them. There are parents who, due to difficulties in making a living, want to keep their children at home to work in the fields, and teachers have to patiently persuade them many times before they are satisfied.

Students of Thuong Ha Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Co Ba Commune (Cao Bang) eat at school.

According to the Department of Education and Training of Cao Bang province, along with sincere encouragement, schools also took advantage of the cooperation of the government, organizations and philanthropists to give books, bicycles, clothes, and further motivate poor students in the highlands to go to school.

Ms. Luc Thi Luong, Principal of Coc Pang Primary School for Ethnic Minorities, Coc Pang Commune (Cao Bang) said: Many students in the highlands have been able to go to school and excel in their studies thanks to the support of the community. We hope to continue to receive attention and support to help them go to school.

On the eve of the new school year, the image of teachers in the highlands trekking through forests and streams, persistently “knocking on every door” has become familiar again. Despite the hardships and difficulties, the greatest happiness of teachers is that each time they convince one more student to come to class, they keep one person on the path to knowledge, to open the door to the future.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/dau-nam-hoc-khong-de-hoc-tro-vung-cao-bo-hoc-giua-chung-post747716.html