Vietnam elders join classes to catch up with youths in world of Internet

“It’s never too late to learn,” people say, and so do the elderly who attend classes in Ho Chi Minh City to learn how to use the Internet and hi-tech devices.

The classes have been run by the Center for Science and Technology Development of the municipal chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union since 2013.

In these one-month classes, young instructors aim to teach elderly people how to use applications on the Internet, type, search for information, read online newspapers, listen to music, watch films, email and use Skype, Facebook, and other programs.

The instructors often receive compliments thanks to their friendliness and devotion to the job, the way they please elderly people, as well as their willingness to help over the phone and to offer tutorials at home.

The classes were free of charge in 2013, but they have started to collect fees this year, at a reasonable price, for long-term operations.

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, 65, from Phu Nhuan District, explained that she attends the classes to learn how to email on her own.

Her relatives who live overseas often email her through her daughter’s account, but the daughter is often busy and cannot check her inbox regularly.

“I participated in a TV singing contest and my neighbors told me that videos capturing my performances have been published online, but I don’t know how to access them,” she added when citing another reason why she wants to master the Internet.

Ha said that she feels more modern after joining the class.

“It’s easier to communicate with my relatives in other countries and I have also met my old friends on social networks by chance,” she added.

“It’s interesting!”

Despite being 63, Tang Thi Hong, from Tan Binh District, also expressed her excitement at being a student in the class.

“It’s amazing that young people can use Facebook to post photos, share their thoughts and add friends, so I want to know about it,” Hong said.

Meanwhile, 62-year-old Pham Thi Hai, from District 8, said learning such things is challenging to elders, and they can only get about half of what they are taught.

“But if young people take eight steps to their goal, and we elders take 15, then we will also reach our goal anyway,” she said.

After finishing their classes, these aged learners created a group on Facebook where they share their poems, photos, greet each other, deliver birthday wishes and more.

They even formed a club to share their knowledge of the Internet and technology with one another.

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