Our Visit to the primary school of Tan Phuoc Khanh
I can say that our visit to the
primary school of Tan Phuoc Khanh was a very memorable one. Upon arrival, we
were greeted with warm Vietnamese hospitality. We were served each with a small
cup of tea at the staff room. If you think the staff room was large, roomy and
air-conditioned, think again. Just about the size of a single classroom in
Singapore, the staff room of the primary school was just furnished with a few
longish wooden tables and an old chalkboard where their duties were written.
Hanging just outside was a huge bronze gong, which served as the school bell.
The students classrooms were not any better, in fact, they were sightly
worse. The chalkboard was a wall
that was painted black and the tables were so old and termite-ridden that they
seemed as if they would collaspe at any moment. The cirriculum however, proved
to be harder compared to that of primary schools in Singapore. They studied 9
subjects instead of the 4 that Singaporean kids studied. There were two
sessions: one commercing in the morning and the other, in the afternoon. This
was to cater to students who had to help their parents on the farm. They did
their share of the farmwork in the morning and came to school in the afternoon.
My, what a hectic life!
The Vietnamese children were very
friendly, and were more than eager to take photographs with us. I must say they
were were very polite too, greeting us in English when we entered their classes.
Suming up, we had an enjoyable time at the school, which also proved to be an
eye opener for us. We left Tan Phuoc Khanh aprreciating the "luxuries"
we had in Singapore.
I can say that our visit to the
primary school of Tan Phuoc Khanh was a very memorable one. Upon arrival, we
were greeted with warm Vietnamese hospitality. We were served each with a small
cup of tea at the staff room. If you think the staff room was large, roomy and
air-conditioned, think again. Just about the size of a single classroom in
Singapore, the staff room of the primary school was just furnished with a few
longish wooden tables and an old chalkboard where their duties were written.
Hanging just outside was a huge bronze gong, which served as the school bell.
The chalkboard was a wall
that was painted black and the tables were so old and termite-ridden that they
seemed as if they would collaspe at any moment. The cirriculum however, proved
to be harder compared to that of primary schools in Singapore. They studied 9
subjects instead of the 4 that Singaporean kids studied. There were two
sessions: one commercing in the morning and the other, in the afternoon. This
was to cater to students who had to help their parents on the farm. They did
their share of the farmwork in the morning and came to school in the afternoon.
My, what a hectic life!
The Vietnamese children were very
friendly, and were more than eager to take photographs with us. I must say they
were were very polite too, greeting us in English when we entered their classes.
Suming up, we had an enjoyable time at the school, which also proved to be an
eye opener for us. We left Tan Phuoc Khanh aprreciating the "luxuries"
we had in Singapore.
