Building movements

In her lifetime, Nguyen Thi Re, former head of the Thu Dau Mot education sub-committee was used to tell that Thu Dau Mot education sub-committee was established at Bau Ro, hamlet 10, Thanh Tuyen commune in June, 1962. 

At that time, the sub-committee had only 3 people, taking charge of fostering politics and giving continuation education for cadres of districts and communes. In this time, learners had to chop trees to build classrooms and dig tunnels and communication trenches to ward off bombs.

As one among the first 3 people of the sub-committee, Nguyen Van Tai in Dau Tieng district, reminisced the education movement across the province in early 1965 developed strongly. Aside from teaching to cadres, the sub-committee’s members taught for children of key cadres, wounded soldiers, martyrs and people. In order to meet requirements of teaching and learning, the sub-committee rapidly gathered and trained human resources in service for teaching.

In 1966, all cadres arrived at communes to mobilize for building classrooms and to foster teacher staff. In this stage, liberation areas had strongly developing schools such as Thanh Tuyen, Thanh An, An Tay, Phu An, An Dien, Long Nguyen, Chanh Phu Hoa, Hoa Loi. These schools had from 1 to 3 classes, being built under large branches.

Despite difficult circumstances, the sub-committee’s members borrowed documents and textbooks from the Southern Central Bureau. Thu Dau Mot province’s educational movements were strongly developed from the end of 1962 to 1966. During the resistance war, many schools were destroyed and many teachers sacrificed but the educational movements remained existent and developing, despite very violent struggles.

Fighting for script

Reminiscing the glorious period, memories of teachers in the resistance war remain overwhelmed. Struggles against illiteracy became more difficult amidst enemy’s raids.

Nguyen Thi Mai, a former teacher in the resistance war in Chanh Phu Hoa commune remembered “At that time, teachers worked for their patriotism and no one paid attention to salary”.

For teachers in resistance wars, many teachers both taught for students and monitor enemy’s raids. In the anti-US resistance war, Thu Dau Mot province had 29 teachers who sacrificed while teaching.

Thu Dau Mot provincial educational sub-committee was maintained till the country’s liberation. After the liberation, some of the teachers continued their work while others returned their homeland or worked in other jobs. Whatever they do, they have indicated their patriotism and dedicated to country.

Reported by A.Sang, N.Thanh – Translated by A.C