Being an teacher is a noble job, a work that brings to society the general workers, politicians, directors, athletes, movie stars and also a work that is often away from the limelight. The Vietnamese has had a long history of paying respect and gratitude to educators dating back from the time of Confucian and way into the present.

Every year, on November 20th, millions of people all over Vietnam celebrate the National Teachers Day with flowers gift and gratitude, for the quiet yet greatly significant contribution that teachers in particular and anyone who work in the education field in general, have been making to the society with their career.

How do Vietnamese celebrate this special day?

The Vietnamese has a long list of sayings and lessons that are meant to teach children to respect their teachers and parents, to pay tribute to the noble work that teachers have done to educate their children.

“If you want to cross a river, build a bridge

If you want your kids to do well at school, love the teachers”

Days before the occasion, students at all schools prepare a music performance (a song, a dance, a flash mob) or a play within a team, some schools even organize a competition where the best performances will be chosen to perform on the special day and the best one will of course wins a prize. On the special day, most schools allow students and teachers a day-off for a formal ceremony including a speech by the principle and a student representative, then the special prizes are granted to different teachers, in recognition of their respective contribution to education. Parents and alumni students pay respect to teachers by offering gifts like clothing, cosmetics, fruits, flowers and so on. Alumni often wait for this day or the days before to visit their old teachers to pay respect and talk about memories from the past. This celebration is not strictly dedicated only to people who teach classes, but also to those who provide moral education or anyone who have been nurturing the development of children and students in one way or another, anyone who is important to your own development, all can be celebrated on this day.

Vietnamese Teachers Day is an invaluable tradition that is meant to teach young people about the importance of education and the people who are providing them. Their presence is anything but flashy but their impact is undeniably significant to each and every life that they touch.