 |
| Cleaning schools and classrooms after floods |
“Superheroes”
At dawn on November 17th while it was still dim outside, having heard that floodwaters were rising quickly, the teachers of Phong Binh II Preschool (Phong Dinh Ward) hurried to the school to lift and protect the furniture. This was already the fifth time during this rainy season that they had to rush to save equipment and toys for the children. Inside the classrooms, shelves, blankets, mats, pillows, toys – everything was quickly packed and moved to the second floor. “ We were afraid that the floodwater would overflow and ruin the kids’ belongings, so we had to move everything up high. There were a lot of toys, some of them were very heavy, but we still tried our best to do it,” said teacher Pham Thi Tem.
Living in Nam Hai Lang Commune (Quang Tri), 8 km from the school, Ms. Tem has worked at Phong Binh II Preschool for 14 years, experiencing dozens of flood seasons. The workload of a preschool teacher is already hard, and it becomes overwhelming during flood season. She sighed: “We’ve just finished cleaning the school, thinking that things are finally okay. But now we have to lift everything again. Sometimes I feel like my job isn’t just teaching – it’s like being a superhero, doing everything.”
Located in a low-lying area, Phong Binh II Preschool, with the foundation lower than the road, is flooded almost every year. The previous flood lasted 17 days, leaving thick sticky mud everywhere and damaging many items that had been soaked too long. Broken trees and trash were scattered across the yard, and the heavy smell of mold lingered, requiring constant cleaning and disinfecting to prevent illness.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thiep, Principal of Phong Binh II Preschool, shared: “We’re short on teachers, and all of them are women, so cleaning up after floods leaves everyone exhausted. But we all try our best so the school can reopen soon. Some teachers’ own homes were flooded too – sometimes they hadn’t even finished cleaning at home but having to rush back to the school to do the cleaning so that the children could soon return. Thankfully, some of the teachers’ husbands came to help lift heavy items. We only hope the school’s foundation will soon be raised above road level so flooding won’t be so severe.”
On the afternoon of November 16th, teachers at Thuy Thanh II Preschool (Thanh Thuy Ward) were once again lifting furniture and moving equipment to safety. Preschool items are bulky and numerous, and outdoor toys are heavy, making the work extremely strenuous. “It takes a whole week to clean the school, and just as the children settle back into class, the flood returns,” sighed Principal Nguyen Thi Ha.
For teachers in flood-prone areas, responding and cleaning up after floods has almost become an “annual mission.” As soon as a weather warning comes, they immediately lift equipment and move important items to the upper floor. When the water recedes, they clean everything – from the classrooms to the schoolyard – down to the smallest details. This year, even as Teachers’ Day approaches, many schools are still underwater, adding more hardship to the teachers’ lives.
Sharing love and support
Orphaned by both parents, Mai Van Quyen, a 12th-grade student (class 12/2) at Huong Vinh High School (Hoa Chau Ward), lives with his elderly grandparents, who make a living collecting recyclables. The prolonged floods wiped out almost all their income. Understanding his situation, the school connected with donors to provide Quyen with 2.5 million VND. “The principal and the sponsors came to my house to visit and give the gift. Their care means so much and gives me more motivation to keep trying,” said Quyen.
Also receiving support was Le Thi Thuy Tien, a student in class 12/8, who comes from a very difficult background. Her mother, Ms. Le Thi Loc, is visually impaired and a single-mom who had to stop working for more than three weeks due to the flood. She shared emotionally: “During the flood, all we could do was moving things to higher places and getting evacuated. Even our most valuable item – the refrigerator – was completely submerged. I’m so grateful for the school’s care for my daughter; it eases the burden on the both of us.”
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hien, Principal of Huong Vinh High School, explained that after the floods, many students faced severe hardship. The school worked with donors to organize three rounds of support, including cash, notebooks, and necessities; four especially disadvantaged students received 2.5 million VND each.
Beyond cleaning classrooms, teachers here carry deep concern for each student affected by the floods. Many of them try to share and help in every way possible. Ms. Tran Thi Xuan Minh, homeroom teacher of class 12/3, used part of her own salary and sought help from family members, donors, and community sources to prepare practical gifts such as notebooks, pens, books, blankets, and rice to help students through this difficult time.
Ms. Minh shared: “As a teacher in a floodplain, I understand the hardships my students experienced during the recent flooding. When they returned to school, many told me their homes were destroyed. Their belongings and school supplies were also washed away, and their eyes were full of sadness. Some came to class with no books at all. I couldn’t just sit still.” “I want the students to know that no matter how high the water rises, knowledge and human kindness will never be swept away. Seeing smiles return to their faces when they came back to school, I knew all my efforts were worthwhile. To me, that is the most utmost meaning of being a teacher,” said Ms. Minh.