Teachers and students of Binh Minh Co Ma kindergarten in Thuan Chau district, Son La province, start a fire to keep warm. (Photo: VOV)

Despite low temperatures and frequent dense fog, the 600 students at 11 branches of Binh Minh Co Ma kindergarten in Thuan Chau district attend school regularly. Every classroom at the school has been adequately equipped to keep the students warm enough to study.

Quang Thi May, one of the teachers, said, “It’s very cold in Co Ma. But when the adults have to work, their children go to school to be taken care of. The parents often contribute firewood to heat the rooms and boil water for the children to drink and wash their hands. In the classrooms, carpets and cushions are rolled out to keep the children warm.”

The Co Ma Ethnic Minority Semi-Boarding Secondary School has 630 students, whose activities are concentrated in the school’s dormitories because most of them live far away.

Teacher Le Trung Kien, the school’s Deputy Rector, said special attention is paid to keep his students warm. He said Co Ma is a mountain commune, so the temperature is lower than in other places. Severe cold and the resulting frost or hoarfrost threatens the health and learning activities of the students.

“For the past few days there has been a cold spell, so the school’s management board has kept a close watch on the weather forecast, regularly checked the classrooms and dormitories, and made sure the students have enough warm blankets and hot rice and soup,” said Kien.

The living space has mattresses, pillows, and blankets. (Photo: VOV)

This winter, Co Ma Ethnic Minority Semi-Boarding Secondary School has received donations from charity organizations inside and outside the province. The gifts encourage the students to study hard.

Seventh-grader Giang Thi Lien said, “Whenever a cold spell is forecast, the teachers notify us in advance to dress warmly. They also remind us not to go out in harsh weather. We are fed hot rice and soup. The teachers have collected warm clothes and blankets to keep us warm in the winter and healthy enough to study.”

Co Ma Ethnic Minority Semi-Boarding Secondary School is covered by cold fog. (Photo: VOV)

Thuan Chau is an underdeveloped district in Son La province, with 78 preschool to secondary schools and 50,000 students, most of whom belong to poor ethnic minorities.

The rugged terrain and adverse weather make local education a challenge, says Nguyen Duc Ton, Director of Thuan Chau district’s Education and Training Section, adding the district has taken measures to cope with severe cold spells.

He said the Education and Training Section has urged schools, especially those with boarding students, to keep track of the weather forecast and prepare clothes and blankets for the children.

“To help students in difficult mountain areas, we have advised the district People's Committee to call for support from organizations and individuals,” said Ton.

Initiatives by local schools and contributions from the mountain province of Son La’s community are ensuring that the students’ education is not interrupted by the cold.