"At that time, all the organizations were enthusiastic about creating a flourishing education, so they quietly put a lot of effort into competing to expand their school buildings and renew their teaching materials," says Ma Ying-chieh, a former school principal. With the help of money from wealthy businessmen and temples, even poor people could attend evening schools.
越南統一前，堤岸地區的僑校曾多達一百餘所，「當時各幫、邑都以熱心教育為榮，所以往往會暗中較勁，競相擴建校舍、革新教材」，曾任華校校長的馬英傑表示，在大商家和寺廟的香油錢補助下，貧民甚至可以免費讀夜、補校。