Wardens and teacher Chu Thi Thu in a class.(Photo: cand.com.vn) The "students" here are very diverse, with the youngestaged 20, and the oldest close to 60.
Born to a poor family in Dak Nong, Ho Bao Van did not get to go toschool like kids of his age. Instead, he ran away from home.
When Van committed a crime and was sentenced to life imprisonment,he did not know how to read. One day, he signed up for the literacy class at theprison.
From a very shaky start in learning, after months of hard work, Vancan now write a letter to his mother at home, an achievement that he could nothave thought of years earlier.
"My life had been on a bad course, but my luck came when theclass was opened," said Van.
"Although I'm almost 30, the wardens here and the teachershelped me a lot by teaching me, and now that I know how to read and write, Isee that my life has opened up a lot," Van added.
From a life sentence, Van's sentence has been reduced to a termimprisonment.
Another inmate, Sung A Chu, was in prison for illegal possessionof drugs, and has served four years at Yen Ha prison. Although he has been hardat work at the literacy class, it took Chu almost a minute to write the word"le phep" (politeness).
"I have a family at home, with four kids. I was goaded into abad path of a criminal, and I regret it very much," said Chu.
Having studied hard to write a letter back home, Chu said, "Iwant to have a job and learn the language, so that I can teach my children andlead them away from evil."
Thu, the teacher of the literacy class, said, "It was saidthat the inmates here are so old but they can't even write their ownnames."
Remembering her first days at the class, Thu said that althoughher pedagogic skills are well-trained, the students are so different that itcaused some trouble for the young teacher.
"The hardest part is to change the mindset of the inmates,and clear them of the pressures and inspire them to study," said Thu.
"A lack of knowledge can lead people astray, and most peoplehave not been aware of the importance of study. It is our job to advise theinmates to follow the path of study," Thu added.
"To persuade the inmates to join the class was hard, to keepthem with us is not easy. Many are old and have disabilities, some haveproblems studying, some lack perseverance," Thu said. "Every singletime that happens, it is my duty to show them how to read and write andencourage them. And the happiness and passion I saw in the inmates' eyes gaveme strength to carry on in this class."
The literacy class has been organised at Yen Ha prison from 2011.Although the facilities are not adequate, the wardens have been hard at workcontributing to the class.
"As many as 80% of the inmates here at the prison are ofethnic minorities, and the number of illiterate prisoners here is high,"said Colonel Nguyen Anh Duc, Deputy Chief Warden at Yen Ha prison. "Wecollaborated with the Phu Yen district’s Division of Education and Training toorganise literacy classes for inmates."
Until now, over 700 inmates have joined the class, and are able topass the basic literacy exam. There are four classes organised weekly, eachwith 35 students, and two teachers, captain Chu Thi Hang and teacher Chu Thi Thu.
"We are glad that many inmates after the class even expressedthe desire to study further. Ho Bao Van's mother, who received the letter thathe wrote by himself, even called us in appreciation," said Duc.
"In contrast to their edgy appearance, the inmates' way ofexpressing their love is truthful," said Thu. "Whenever I read theletters that they wrote to their family back home, I felt emotional and wept. Ifelt that my efforts have contributed in opening a new path for them, a pathtowards good, towards knowledge."/.
VNA
