Vietnam boasts a high literacy rate, at 90.3% for adults and 94% for youths (15- to 24-year-olds). However, illiteracy still affects marginalized and remote communities, such as ethnic minority populations and older adults in mountainous areas. Hoping to turn this around, a police officer named Lê Tuấn Thành has taken on the unique side quest of offering free evening literacy classes for adults.
Thành’s educational endeavor took off in 2023, when he first arrived in the village of Kret Krot. There, he noticed that many of its elderly residents couldn’t read or write. Rapidly becoming a familiar and trusted figure, the lieutenant used his influence to pitch the lessons to local authorities, believing that an education would help people massively, as they would be able to move more freely in the world.
The first class launched with 35 students in one location. The project has now extended to three villages, with Thành personally tending to 40 students. Given the lack of funding, at first he paid for the blackboards, chalk, notebooks, and pens used in class. With no previous experience as an educator, he turned to local educators for guidance.
Convincing also took a while. Thành went door to door, rallying people to join his lessons. However, since many of those who can’t read or write worked in the fields during the day, they weren’t into the idea of studying at night. He also relied on giving small gifts such as candy to those who did show up, encouraging them to go to the class more often.
On top of teaching them how to read and write, Thành also instructs people on local regulations and government processes, some of the most vital applications for their recently acquired literacy. For example, a 29-year-old named Mah said she wants to learn to write as it will be helpful for her and her family who have been scolded for not being able to fill in their names in hospital forms and doctor visits.
The plan is for students to attend the lessons for a year with the end goal of basic literacy. Ultimately, Thành hopes this is the first step in helping the elderly and ethnic minorities overcome difficulties and disadvantages in life. While the first seeds of his work are coming to fruition, he has only opened the doors to infinite possibilities of progress and advancement for his pupils.
A Vietnamese police officer named Lê Tuấn Thành has taken on the unique side quest of offering free evening literacy classes for adults.
Sources: Police officer runs class to eradicate illiteracy among local villagers; Youth with “Belief” at the Grassroots; Literacy and Community Development Programme (LCDP), Viet Nam
Related Articles:
Educator Wins Life-Changing $1 Million Global Teacher Prize for Innovative Teaching in India
South Korean Grandmas Help Save Schools in Areas With Low Birthrates by Enrolling in Class
Dolly Parton Invests $4.5 Million to Kickstart Nashville’s Early Literacy Initiative
Helsinki’s Oodi Library Serves as a Giant Symbol of Finland’s Highest Global Literacy Rate
