“Not left behind”: Party Chief To Lam brings message of hope to special-needs students in Hanoi

THE HANOI TIMES — On a bright morning of International Children’s Day, the sound of drums and applause filled the courtyard of Nguyen Dinh Chieu School in Hanoi. But beyond the festive air, this was no ordinary visit.

Standing before hundreds of students with disabilities, Party General Secretary To Lam delivered a powerful message: No child shall be left behind.

Flanked by senior officials and educators, including Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai, the nation’s top leader spent time with students and teachers of two of Hanoi’s most exceptional institutions, Nguyen Dinh Chieu School, serving blind students, and Xa Dan School, where most students are hearing-impaired. These schools are more than just places of learning; they are sanctuaries where inclusion, compassion, and resilience converge.

“You are our pride”

“The presence of the Party General Secretary and national leaders is a tremendous source of encouragement,” said Principal Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai of Nguyen Dinh Chieu School as she introduced her school to the visiting delegation.

“This visit reaffirms the social commitment to inclusive education and offers our students not just encouragement, but dignity.”

Both schools operate under the Hanoi Department of Education and Training and have spent decades building unique, adaptive learning models. Xa Dan School has over 70% of its students living with hearing loss. At Nguyen Dình Chieu, blind students are taught not just academic content but skills for independent living, from learning Braille to mastering orientation, mobility, arts, and even career guidance.

Teachers here are not simply educators. They are translators, caregivers, and mentors. They create Braille textbooks by hand, build sign language systems, and develop specialized curricula. They also carry the emotional weight of guiding their students toward a life of confidence and self-worth.

In an emotional speech, Party Chief To Lam addressed the challenges the students face.

“Your path may be steeper and longer,” he said gently, “but your courage, optimism, and dreams will take you far. You are not alone, the Party, the State, your teachers, and your families are walking this path with you.”

He praised the schools for being beacons of Vietnam’s progressive spirit. Yet his visit was not only to commend. It was to call for action.

Lam urged all ministries and local authorities to treat the care for children with disabilities not as charity but as a core responsibility. He called for the nationwide expansion of inclusive schools and special education centers modeled after Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Xa Dan.

“Our education system must reflect our humanity,” he said. “This is a measure of national progress.”

His vision includes a coordinated ecosystem where schools work in tandem with hospitals, therapy centers, and vocational institutions. He said it is needed to train more specialized teachers and therapists, provide accessible materials and technology, and offer financial support to disabled students, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

In a tender moment, the Party Chief turned his attention to parents.

“Please do not feel shame or despair because your child is disabled,” he said. “Give them more love, more strength. Help them believe in themselves, and society will follow.”

He also urged businesses and the broader community to support inclusive education by creating pathways to employment for people with disabilities.

“Every child deserves not just an education, but a future,” he said.

The seeds of hope

For 9th grader Vu Minh Tu, born blind, Lam’s visit was transformative. “Every step I’ve taken has been possible because of my teachers, my parents, and the Party’s compassionate policies,” said Tu. “Here, I’ve learned to read, write, play music, and even dream.”

Before leaving, the Party Chief toured the dormitories and art rooms, gifting musical instruments to the schools and pausing to take photos with the children, many of whom had never met a national leader before.

As he waved goodbye, one could sense this was more than a ceremonial visit. It was a promise. A pledge that even in silence, even in darkness, every child will be seen. Every voice will be heard.