Journey of helping mountainous education escape the 'dark area' of the former Director of Dien Bien Department of Education and Training

From literacy campaign to long-term strategy

After the Dien Bien Phu victory, Lai Chau (now Dien Bien) was plunged into poverty and backwardness, with high rates of illiteracy and re-illiteracy. Until the 1990s, the situation had not improved much, especially in remote areas. In October 1995, when Mr. Ha Quy Minh took over as Director of the Department of Education and Training, universalization was only achieved in Lai Chau town and some towns such as Dien Bien and Tuan Giao.

Recalling that time, Mr. Minh said: “Back then, every summer we mobilized teachers to go to the highland villages to open literacy classes. Some places lasted for a month, some for two months. But a few months later, the teachers and students returned the words to the teachers. The campaign was very loud, but it did not solve the root cause.”

He realized the core problem was the lack of a stable teaching staff. To change that, it had to start with training and recruitment.

“Open” input, “lock” output

Dien Bien at that time was seriously lacking teachers, especially preschool and primary school teachers. Mr. Minh boldly proposed to the province to lower the teacher training admission standards: from 7+1, 7+2 to 4+3, meaning finishing grade 4, continuing to study for 3 years at a teacher training school to become a primary school teacher. Even for some ethnic minorities such as Ha Nhi, Kho Mu, the industry still recruited illiterate people, let them study primary school right in the teacher training school, then continue training.

This approach requires the education sector to both teach general education and provide professional training. Teachers who graduate are regularly sent for training to improve their qualifications. Thanks to this, the training scale of Dien Bien Pedagogical School has increased from 500-600 students/year to 1,200 students/year.

At the same time, the Department of Education and Training advised the province to apply the recruitment method. Ethnic minority students who have completed grade 9 or 12 are sent to study at universities and colleges of education in Thai Nguyen, Hanoi, Hoa Binh, etc. After graduation, they return to serve their locality. As for preschool teachers, there was a period when the province sent 400 students to study in Hoa Binh.

“The input is open to attract students, but the output must be tightened to ensure quality. Students only need to complete the college program, do not have to take exams, but if they do not meet the standards, they cannot graduate. That force was the core of the illiteracy eradication work at that time,” said Mr. Minh.

Clear accountability

The difficulty lies not only in human resources but also in facilities. Mr. Minh advised Provincial Party Secretary Lo Van Puon to issue a directive requiring localities to proactively take care of schools, desks, chairs, and accommodations for teachers and students.

“If there is no school, it is the district’s fault. If there is a school but no students, it is the Department Director’s fault. The directive clearly states that. If the local government cannot take care of the facilities, it must be responsible to the Provincial Party Committee,” Mr. Minh emphasized.

Thanks to the "open" mechanism but strict accountability, the network of schools gradually spread, creating a foundation for sustainable illiteracy eradication.

In the period 1995-2003, under the advice of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of Dien Bien province from the education sector, including the role of "industry commander" of Mr. Ha Quy Minh, Dien Bien education gradually escaped the "dark area". If in the 90s, the whole province only had 2-3 high schools, now the school system is widespread, the quality of teachers and students has been significantly improved.

"Lifetime" memories with the General Secretary

Mr. Minh proudly mentioned the groups of teachers who volunteered to go to the Northwest in 1959 following Uncle Ho's call to "eliminate illiteracy": "They lived close to the people, loved their students, and sacrificed a lot. Despite their difficult lives, they still devoted themselves."

In the 1995-1996 school year, Mr. Minh attended the Politburo conference on education for the first time. The organizers required each locality to speak for a maximum of 5 minutes and to present new ideas.

“When it was my turn, I spoke frankly about the conditions for eliminating illiteracy: what to do, how to take care of the facilities, how to train teachers and students… I spoke continuously without anyone interrupting me,” he said.

After the conference, during the visit to the Temple of Literature, General Secretary Do Muoi took Mr. Minh by the hand. That moment was captured in a photo that he still keeps in the most solemn place in his house, a “lifetime” souvenir of the former head of the Dien Bien education sector.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/hanh-trinh-cung-giao-duc-mien-nui-thoat-vung-toi-cua-nguyen-giam-doc-so-gddt-dien-bien-post743396.html