The policy of investing in school construction for border communes is a major decision with profound political, social, and humanitarian significance, demonstrating the special attention of the Party and the State to ethnic minorities, especially students in the border regions of the country.

In accordance with the Politburo's Conclusion Notice No. 81-KL/TW, in 2025, Son La province commenced construction on 13 boarding schools for primary and secondary levels in all 13 border communes. This event marks an important starting point in realizing the goal of having a spacious and modern school in each border commune, aiming to form an educational center with synchronized facilities, thereby improving the quality of teaching and learning, training local human resources, and contributing to ensuring national defense and security in the border region, as well as promoting sustainable economic development.

During the implementation process, the project received the consensus and support of the people of Mon 1 and Mon 2 villages, the chosen construction sites. Many households voluntarily donated land, creating favorable conditions for the project to start on schedule.

Groundbreaking ceremony for the construction project of Phiêng Pằn Primary and Secondary Boarding School. Photo: Provided by Phiêng Pằn Commune People's Committee.

Boarding schools at all levels help reduce student dropout rates in border areas.

Speaking with a reporter from the Vietnam Education Online Magazine, Mr. Hoang Huu Phong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phieng Pan commune (Son La province), said that currently, there are 5 schools in the commune: Chieng Luong Primary School; Phieng Pan Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School; Na Ot Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School; Chieng Luong Primary and Secondary School; and Phieng Pan Primary School. The total number of students is 4,508, including 2,600 primary school students (112 classes) and 1,908 secondary school students (45 classes).

The majority of primary and secondary school students in the area reside in particularly disadvantaged villages, far from the center. Due to the large geographical area of ​​the commune, comprising 45 villages, 36 of which are particularly disadvantaged, transportation for residents and students is extremely difficult. In the former Phiêng Pằn commune cluster, the transportation system is limited, with most roads from the villages to the commune center being unpaved. Many students have to travel up to 13km to reach school.

Many remote school buildings in Phiêng Pằn commune are dilapidated and lack kitchens and boarding facilities for students. Many villages are far from the schools, making transportation difficult.pupilMeeting them is still difficult, especially during the rainy season.

Therefore, building a system of integrated boarding schools is an urgent task. This is a solution to ensure equity in access to education, improve the quality of teaching and learning, and reduce school dropout rates in border areas, helping children of ethnic minorities to develop comprehensively and access stable learning opportunities. In the long term, the integrated boarding school system will also contribute to strengthening the people's trust in the border regions of the country.

In addition, once the school is completed and operational, it will help alleviate pressure on student numbers. Currently, some schools have a large number of students, while their facilities do not fully meet the teaching and learning requirements.

Moreover, this model facilitates learning for people in border areas, especially those who face difficulties in accessing education. As a result, the general knowledge level is raised, the quality of human resources is improved, and a local workforce is gradually being formed.

In particular, state management in the field of education has been strengthened to improve effectiveness and efficiency. Resources in terms of infrastructure, finance, teaching staff, and management personnel have been allocated and utilized rationally, meeting the requirements of educational development in the locality.

Locals hope that the construction of the Phiêng Pằn Primary and Secondary Boarding School will provide children in the border region with more stable educational opportunities. Photo: Provided by Phiêng Pằn Commune People's Committee.

According to Mr. Phong, the school construction was carried out in full compliance with current regulations regarding school size, classrooms, infrastructure standards, and norms.teacherThis is linked to development planning, population size, population density, and geographical conditions. The implementation process ensures compliance with the prescribed standards for general education.

After the establishment of the multi-level boarding school, the remaining educational institutions will be reorganized and adjusted to suit the practical conditions of each locality. The entire implementation process will ensure the principles of democracy, openness, and transparency.

Mr. Phong further informed that in the 2026-2027 school year, the Phiêng Pằn Primary and Secondary Boarding School will enroll a total of 28 classes, approximately 980 students.

However, surveys conducted at various schools revealed that elementary school students (grades 1-5) are still very young, leading parents to feel uneasy about sending their children to boarding schools. Therefore, the People's Committee of Phiêng Pằn commune proposed maintaining the existing schools in the commune and establishing a new boarding school for both elementary and junior high school students.

Perspective view of the Phiêng Pằn Commune Boarding School for Primary and Secondary Education. Photo: Provided by the Phiêng Pằn Commune People's Committee.

Many families in the village are willing to donate land to build the school.

Building schools in border communes is not just a task for the education sector alone.educationThis requires the synchronized involvement of the entire political system and society as a whole. From local authorities to organizations, citizens can all contribute through concrete actions such as donating land, participating in labor days, providing resources, and spreading a sense of responsibility to the community.

As someone who has lived in Xa Lu village, Long Sap commune (Son La province) for many years and enjoys the trust of the local people, Mr. Thao A Tong shared that when the local authorities implemented the policy of building schools in border areas, the villagers unanimously agreed. Although life is still difficult, the people always pay special attention to their children's education.

With that in mind, many families in the village readily donated land, contributed labor, and helped build schools, creating better learning conditions for the local youth. This solidarity not only demonstrates the people's belief in the policy of educational development, but also shows their aspiration to improve their lives through education, considering knowledge as the foundation for changing the future of their children and of their village in this border region, which still faces many difficulties.

"Money can be earned gradually, but if our children lack literacy, they will be disadvantaged for life. If they don't go to school and are illiterate, it will be difficult for them to find stable jobs to improve their lives later," Mr. Tong confided.

Mr. Thào A Tồng - a resident of Xá Lũ village, Lóng Sập commune (Sơn La province). Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Mr. Tong added that he, along with the commune authorities, had personally visited each household to persuade, educate, and explain the plan to build the school. During these discussions, the people understood the long-term significance of investing in education, especially for children in border areas. Despite limited socio-economic conditions, the people were willing to contribute their efforts and cooperate in the implementation process, because everyone wanted their children to study in better and more stable conditions.

During the school's construction phase, local residents continued to show their support through concrete actions such as cleaning the construction site, assisting with transportation, and arranging some equipment to facilitate construction preparation, contributing to ensuring progress and creating favorable conditions for the construction unit.

This consensus not only facilitates the construction process but also demonstrates the solidarity of the local people in creating a better learning environment for their children in the future.

Phiêng Pằn commune center. Photo: Provided by the Commune People's Committee.

Sharing his thoughts on building a school in the border region, Mr. Duong Van Tich, residing in Ban Mon 2, Phieng Pan commune (Son La province), one of the households that voluntarily donated their entire sugarcane plantation land for the school construction, said: "When the local authorities started building the school, my family voluntarily donated land to create a site for construction, hoping that the children in the village would soon be able to study in a new, spacious school with adequate teaching and learning conditions. The land donation was agreed upon by the family from the beginning, considering it a necessary contribution to the long-term development of the locality, given the limited educational infrastructure in the area."

Currently, my family has two children in grades 2 and 4, both attending schools with inadequate learning conditions. I hope that when the new school is built and put into use, the children will be able to study in a better and more stable environment. My family also hopes that a proper education will provide them with more knowledge, clearer career guidance in the future, and open up new opportunities beyond agricultural production."

Mr. Tich hopes that building a school in this border area will have practical significance for families in the village in particular and Phieng Pan commune in general. For farmers like Mr. Tich's family, the greatest wish is for their children to go to school, to have teachers, and a stable classroom. Certainly, with the new school, attending school will be more convenient for the children here, and their future will be brighter.

Khanh Hoa