Caring for students’ health during the harsh winter

Located atop the Gia Long mountain range, Xin Man Commune faces rugged terrain and severe cold, with winter temperatures consistently lower than surrounding areas. In such harsh conditions, ensuring students’ health becomes a priority.

Classrooms at Nan Xin Kindergarten are lined with foam mats to keep children warm during winter.

Schools across the commune have proactively reinforced facilities, improved boarding meals, and strengthened school healthcare services to ensure a safe and warm learning environment during the cold season.

At Nan Xin Kindergarten, classrooms and sleeping rooms are insulated with foam sheets, tightly sealed against drafts and equipped with warm blankets. Preparations for winter begin early each year. Principal Ban Thi Xuan said the school, located more than 10 km from the commune center, faces long, bitterly cold winters. Therefore, from October, the school reviews its entire infrastructure, adds heating equipment, ensures warm sleeping areas for boarding children, and teaches students basic skills to keep warm and prevent common winter illnesses.

Ensuring student health during winter is a task closely coordinated among schools, local authorities, and healthcare units. The “safe winter classroom” model is maintained daily, with teachers checking students’ temperatures, clothing, and footwear each morning. Any child showing signs of fatigue is monitored at the school infirmary. The model has proved effective thanks to close cooperation among the school, health station, and parents.

Local organizations and volunteer groups also support schools through the “winter clothing closet” model, providing hundreds of coats, scarves, and shoes for disadvantaged students. At Chi Ca Semi-boarding Primary School, winter meals are carefully adjusted to include more energy-rich dishes.

Principal Do Van Tuyen said the school prioritizes hot, nutritious meals such as bone broth, eggs, stewed meat, and fresh vegetables to keep students healthy. Thanks to improved meals, respiratory illnesses among students have significantly decreased.

When temperatures drop too low, schools adjust class times to ensure safety. Xin Man Commune currently has 15 schools with nearly 5,000 students. Amid the harsh winter of the highlands, warm clothing, hot meals, and the dedicated care of teachers, authorities, and the community have helped students stay healthy, secure, and determined to pursue their education in this remote border region.

Van Long