School opens, number of absent students gradually decreases

Le Quy Don High School (Tran Yen District, Yen Bai) welcomed students back from September 16. Mr. Bui Van Xuan, the school's principal, said: Over the past two days, the number of students returning to school has increased every day. On the first day, 160 students were absent, and on the next day, September 17, the number of absent students decreased to 93 students... The reason is that many students' families live quite far away, and the road to school is still muddy in many parts, making it difficult to travel. "We also agreed with the families of these students that if the road is not safe, they should not go to school. Teachers will have a plan to teach them make-up lessons," said Mr. Xuan.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SCHOOL

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SCHOOL

Mr. Xuan added that the teachers also tried very hard with the spirit of "one person doing the work of two" to welcome students. Some teachers were injured in the storm and flood but were determined to return to school to teach as usual. As for the damage to facilities such as hundreds of broken desks and chairs, modern teaching equipment, etc., they need to be gradually repaired. "Being able to return to school is already a happiness at this time," said Mr. Xuan.

At Hoa Lan Kindergarten (Yen Bai City), the school is located in a heavily affected area, deeply submerged in water with a large amount of mud and garbage, making it difficult to welcome students back to school on September 16. However, with the outstanding determination of teachers and the support of the community, the school welcomed children back from the beginning of the week, all teaching and childcare activities returned to normal.

Find every way to open the school

On the afternoon of September 17, Minh Chuan Primary and Secondary School (Luc Yen District, Yen Bai) had just basically completed the cleanup. A teacher here shared: When the water receded, we had to wade through mud up to our knees to get to the school. Everything looked so devastated and messy, we didn't know where to start.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers, parents, teachers and students to clean up the school, Minh Chuan Primary and Secondary School was able to welcome students back on September 18, later than many other schools, but for the teachers, it was a "miracle".

At Pho Rang Secondary School No. 1, a school that suffered the most damage, flooding, and mud in Bao Yen District (Lao Cai), Ms. Pham Hoang Ngoc Hue, Vice Principal of the school, said that so far, the cleanup work has basically finished the most messy parts, all the thick layer of mud a meter thick has been cleared. It is expected that students will return to school on September 20, but the school does not know if this can be done, because the desks and chairs in all the classrooms on the first floor have been damaged due to being soaked in water for a long time. Almost all of the students in the school have lost all their books because their houses were also flooded or swept away by the flood...

Mr. Dao Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Yen Bai, informed: On the morning of September 16, 437/442 schools in the province welcomed students to class. The rate of students attending school reached 90%. Students could not attend class due to circumstances and damage after the flood, plus those whose transportation routes were cut off. Yen Bai is determined to reopen all schools on September 18.

"On the first day of school after the flood, we asked schools to take the time to share, visit, and encourage teachers and students who suffered losses and were affected by the floods in recent days. At this time, teachers and students need to be mentally stable," said Mr. Dao Anh Tuan.