For the last 16 years, Lap Thach village Pagoda in Quang Tri province’s Dong Ha City has been hosting free classes for 4,000 children during the summer time.
According to Ven. Thích Đạo Tri, current abbot of Lap Thach pagoda, when he came and stayed in the pagoda in 2003, there’s already a free class in the summer for local children opened by retired teachers.
Teacher Nguyễn Thị Diệu Ái initiated the opening of free summer class at the pagoda in 2003 and offered free teaching at summer program in last 16 years.
In 2013, after graduating from the Hue Pedagogic University and given teaching profession, the monk persuaded his colleagues in the locality to expand the free summer class program in Lap Thach pagoda.
Many teachers of the free summer class program are young teachers having to bring their young kids with them to the class.
Teaching colleagues have enthusiastically responded as well as brought free text books and pens for the children. Each year, from 200 pupils to 400 pupils join the free summer class program in the pagoda.
At times, classes with all 12 grades had been opened in the pagoda. But, when the pagoda’s resources was unable to meet the learning demand of too many registered pupils and students, Ven. Đạo Tri decided to provide only classes from 1st grade to the 9th grade.
This summer, as many as four classes open at a time, taking place in the two main preaching halls of the pagoda and with over 30 pupils in each class. A total of 37 teachers have volunteered to teach the classes this summer in Lap Thach pagoda.
The pagoda abbot informed that the free summer class program provides not only language teaching, general education and soft skills, but also martial arts and sports in the evening of every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Children play chess during break time.
All the teachers wish that Lap Thach pagoda will have enough material resources for expanding its free class program in order to meet education demands of all local children during the summer.
PTT
