Mobilizing the image of teachers in mountainous areas crossing the forest, returning to school after holidays

An Luong is one of the most disadvantaged localities in Van Chan district, Yen Bai province. To teach ethnic minority students, teachers have to overcome extremely dangerous landslides.

Ms. Pham Thi Bai, Sa Luong school of An Luong Kindergarten, said: My house is 55km from the school, so after the holiday, I have to go one day in advance to get through the slippery, gravel-filled slope. It is now the dry season, making travel easier, but starting the rainy season, traveling is even more difficult.

Through sharing, last year Ms. Bai brought her young child to the school, but due to the harsh climate here and her child often getting sick, this school year she had to stay home and ask her grandparents to look after her.

Like Ms. Bai, teacher Ly Thi Thuy Tien took her child 1 year younger to school with her so that she wouldn't have to travel much. However, due to erratic rainy and sunny weather, the child often had to be hospitalized, so she had to return to her hometown to be cared for by relatives.

"From my house to the road through Suoi Quyen commune, there is a section of road that is very difficult to travel and often has landslides. Many other sections have rocks and deep holes that often cause us to fall and break our legs, Ms. Thuy Tien said, pointing to the bruises on the limbs.

Mr. Vu Tuan Anh, the only male teacher at An Luong Kindergarten, shared: The road to our school is very difficult, it is muddy, sunny and dusty. Currently, there are many sections where people are building roads and excavating soil, causing rocks and soil to fall from above, which is very dangerous. The road has many potholes while one side is landslides, the other side is embankments...".

"The road is unpaved, my motorbike has many broken locks, and I have to tie up steel ropes. I am young but because the road is difficult to travel, I stay at school, only returning home during long breaks, Mr. Vu Tuan Anh added.

In the same situation, teacher Nguyen Huong Giang, Suoi Dam school of An Luong Kindergarten, confided: "The road to my school is dirty, and it often lands, so traveling is difficult. There are many days when I have to leave my motorbike on the road and walk 3 - 4km to get to class.

In September 2024, the water from the stream flowed down, motorbikes could not pass, so we had to cross the stream to get to the school. My heart is really scared, but because the children are waiting, everyone has to try."

Ms. Hoang Thanh Tuyet, Principal of An Luong Kindergarten, said: reading the greeting messages from teachers on the way to school or home from school, I was very worried. The school is about 40km from the center of Van Chan district, to get to class to teach, teachers have to go through nearly 20km of difficult landslide road.

Some newlywed teachers have gone through a rough marriage and even had miscarriages, everyone is sad and saddened. Despite difficult conditions, teachers still try to overcome it because of their love for the job and children.

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