The Principal’s enthusiasm for the cause of education has fuelled the Indochina Group’s journey for nearly half a decade

Ms. Vo Thi Huu Hanh has devoted her youth to the cause of education on a 14 years journey; and in the past 4 years, Ms. Vo Thi Huu Hanh has put all her heart into contributing to the strength of the Indochina Group.

She is currently the Principal of Kindergarten at Nguyen Huu Canh’s campus and the Director of Penn Academy. Recently, she also took on the role of Head of the Digital Transformation Department and Project Manager of DigiEdu, with the task of planning and implementing technology applications into the curriculum of the Group.

Let’s learn about her nearly half-decade of working at Indochina Group, along with her ambitions, concerns, and plans that she cherishes for the near future.

Can you share any memorable memories while working at the Group?

To this day, I still remember the moment at 12 o’clock at night on August 24, 2018, when all of the teachers at 35 Nguyen Huu Canh campus and I were still working hard to complete the preparations for the grand opening. At that time, even though the work was hard, everyone was full of energy with bright smiles. Even now, the feeling of delight has remained since we can witness each joyful child progressively complete their starting point on a path of creation filled with love and generosity.

What is the biggest difficulty that you face when holding multiple positions at the same time and how do you deal with these difficulties?

The biggest challenge that I face when taking on many positions is always having to balance my time to be able to complete everything to a high standard. My solution is to always keep my enthusiasm for the career of developing young people. I believe that education must always be accompanied by love and when that love is big enough, then naturally, we will be enthusiastic and strong enough to overcome all difficulties.

Through this, I also want to send a message to our young teachers: stay passionate and constantly nurture enthusiasm for your profession. You will be able to do things that others cannot. The rewards you reap are not only career advancement but also the immense satisfaction to see them grow up day by day.

Managing numerous campuses simultaneously and of course, having to coordinate with many different departments, do you have your own principles about “managing people” and “managing work processes”?

My people management principle is to listen, share and support each other to meet our responsibilities and targets. Besides that, I must comply with the principles of the Group to ensure international standards. To put it simply, it is “Tie A Knot And Hang Out”. When teachers make mistakes, I am there to guide them to correct and improve. Besides, I always believe that it is necessary to apply talent methodically – the right people for the right job. In my opinion, a good manager is not the one who finds or trains the perfect person, but the one who recognizes the strengths of each person in each field and puts them in the right position.

And my work management principle is to always do everything according to plan, break down the goals and do our best to achieve those goals, and support each other to achieve the best common results.

Digital transformation is an extremely important process for any organization in the current climate, so what is the biggest pressure you face when taking on the role of Head Head of the Digital Transformation Department and how have you overcome it?

Currently, the epidemic is one of the greatest challenges for the whole of society, and the education sector is no different. Therefore, to achieve an effective education process in this context, we need to implement digital transformation as soon as possible. This process helps students widen their learning resources, especially now that books are no longer only in libraries, but also online. Digital libraries, websites, and social networks,… are places that provide low-cost or completely free learning resources with just one click.

However, any transition comes with challenges and pressures. When taking on the role of Head of Digital Transformation, my biggest pressure is to bring DigiEdu closer to students and parents quickly. Although I know this process will be challenging, I am determined to take it to step by step, because my goal is to not only contribute to the Group’s digital transformation but also to the education industry in the whole country.

In your opinion, what is the most important thing for a person to pursue, and continue to be devoted to the field of education over time? Over the years, with your talent, have you ever thought that you will change direction to choose another field that offers benefits not found in education?

The most crucial thing, in my opinion, for a person to be able to pursue and make a long-term commitment to the field of education is to always maintain the flame of enthusiasm and passion for the teaching profession. The term “destiny” brought me here, and the word “responsibility” has kept me here for the past 14 years. After all these years, my excitement has grown stronger and stronger from the day I graduated to now. Indochina Group was a defining moment in my academic career. The success that Indochina Group delivers not only advances my profession but also rekindles my love for the task of raising and caring for children.

Can you tell us more about your plans to develop the schools you manage in the near future?

With regard to the 35 Nguyen Huu Canh campus, I am gradually implementing a program transformation to prepare for the arrival of the ANAP (American National Academy Preschool) chain. It is my desire to instill the parents’ confidence in the American program the same way I did in the Australian program.

The next project that I fostered a great deal of care for and am making progress with is DigiEdu. I hope that in the near future, educational channels on social networking platforms, academic banks, flexible and quality online courses, etc. will come to students, teachers, and parents with just one click.

Finally, in terms of Penn Academy, I am gradually developing a brand for Penn Academy in order to reach closer to students in a timely and efficient manner. My colleagues and I believe that through constant efforts, more and more students will have access to the essence of international education and enhance their English ability.