Students support the people of the North: Every penny is precious

A parent exclaimed like that when reading a news article about an elementary school in Ho Chi Minh City honoring students who contribute 100,000 VND or more to receive a certificate of merit signed by the principal, while those who contribute less than 100,000 VND will only receive a letter of merit signed by the homeroom teacher.

Not only the above parent but many people are also indignant and upset with this way of doing things. Praising students is right and necessary to encourage and educate them. However, praising in the wrong way can cause negative feelings and be counter-educational.

In recent days, one of the most discussed topics in society is the pain and loss that Typhoon Yagi caused to the people of the North. From there, the story continues to be about sharing and contributing to support our compatriots.

A friend of mine told me that during a dinner, his son suddenly asked: "Dad, why don't you donate 100 million VND? There is an anonymous parent at my school who donated 150 million VND."

"150 million VND is really valuable, because it is a large amount of money. But your contribution of 200,000 VND from your "secret fund" (your friends give you money for breakfast, pocket money, books, etc.) is also very valuable. That is kindness, concern, and compatriotism" - my friend answered my son.

Remember that in 2010, the American Time magazine surprised everyone by including a Taiwanese vegetable seller in the list of 100 most influential people in the world that year. The money she saved from her meager vegetable sales profits and her very frugal life was donated to orphans and to build libraries for elementary schools in remote areas.

Explaining why the name of an ordinary person was listed next to the world's great names at that time such as Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Lee Kuan Yew, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk..., Time said that the great thing about the vegetable seller was not doing something really great but simply the kindness of an ordinary person.

The vegetable seller waved her hand and quickly responded to the press when interviewed: "Actually, I have never donated a large amount of money."

Thus, by honoring the vegetable seller, Time wants to send a message to the world that ordinary people can also become "adults" when doing small things with great love.

Back to the story of the school above, it is a pity that the school missed an opportunity in educating children.

The problem is not how much the school raises, but that for every penny sent to the people, the students will receive an invaluable lesson.

That is a lesson about saving, using money wisely; about sharing, caring; about caring, not being indifferent. Schools and teachers must teach children that, guiding them towards goodwill and substance, not using hundreds of millions as a measure of good deeds.

Furthermore, schools should not be caught up in achievement-oriented movements, emulation movements, and contributions.

Of course, schools cannot stand aside, but contributions and support in schools should emphasize education instead of competing and praising according to numbers, targets, and norms.