I love my job, but I find it really hard to see the lack of concern many parents appear to have for their children. Some seem to forget that they actually have children. All the responsibility for their children’s education is entrusted to the school, teachers or servants of their families.

I’m not just a teacher but also a father, brother and friend. There are things my students don’t dare to share with their parents but share with me. Every day, they make my life more meaningful.

My students face many other challenges. I know of many cases of sexual abuse, but the children don’t know how to protect themselves. Some don’t even realise they are being abused because the perpetrators are family members - grandfathers, fathers, brothers. In an attempt to try to raise awareness, I created the Five Safe Fingers project, which teaches children how to protect themselves from sexual abuse.

School violence means that many students feel unsafe in the classroom. To limit this, they must be taught sympathy. That’s why I organised the Everyday Kindness project for my students to take part in. It goes a long way towards creating a safe learning environment.

Nam Ngo Thanh is a primary school teacher at Nguyen Hoang School, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam