Dau Viet Trieu, principal of Quynh Tam Primary School, stated that he and teachers visited the Tien Son satellite school point this morning to encourage parents to send their children back to school. The school and local authorities have provided three vehicles—a 7-seater, a 16-seater, and a 24-seater—to transport students to the main campus and other branches.

To date, 28 of the 166 students from the Tien Son satellite school point have returned to class.

"Many parents have largely agreed to send their children to school, but a few still insist on keeping their children home, hoping to retain the satellite school point", Principal Trieu said. He added that heavy rain impacted today's attendance, which did not meet expectations. "Tomorrow will certainly see more students", he predicted.

Previously, nearly 150 parents had kept their children out of school. This was due to the planned relocation of the Tien Son satellite school point, which serves 5 classes and 166 students, to the main campus and branches of Quynh Tam Primary School. The new locations are approximately 6-7 kilometers from the old site. Parents expressed concerns that the increased distance would complicate transportation and pose safety risks during the rainy season.

Students from the Tien Son satellite school point are transported by car to the main campus and branches of Quynh Tam Primary School on the morning of 14/9. *Hung Le*.

During a dialogue with parents on 11/9, Nguyen Van Khoa, Director of Nghe An province's Department of Education and Training, explained that the Tien Son satellite school point, built in 1998, has severely degraded facilities and poses a safety risk. Therefore, the merger aims to provide the best possible learning environment for students.

"A school point might be close to home, but if the teaching conditions are inadequate, change is necessary", Khoa stated.

In contrast, the school points and branches designated to receive Tien Son students have received comprehensive investment. Each location features 32 classrooms, functional rooms, and a semi-boarding area. In late August, the commune also initiated construction of a road connecting Tien Son with Hamlet 10, costing nearly 20 billion VND, to shorten travel distances and facilitate student transportation.

Quynh Tam Primary School has confirmed it has prepared a compensatory teaching plan for students who were absent. Authorities are also considering options to subsidize initial travel costs and provide textbooks and school supplies, aiming to ease the burden on families.

A classroom at the Tien Son satellite school point shows signs of degradation. *Duc Hung*.

Duc Hung