Building the future from boarding schools

Building an inter-level boarding school for ethnic minorities in border areas on land is a methodical step taken early and from afar to develop ethnic minority human resources, meeting the requirements of socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security in the new situation.

Difficult to "retain" students on the journey of knowledge

According to the report of the Ministry of Education and Training, after the administrative unit arrangement, the whole country has 248 land border communes. In this area, there are currently about 625,255 students studying at 956 high schools; of which 332,019 students have boarding and semi-boarding needs, accounting for 53.1% of the total number of students.

But currently in 248 communes, there are only nearly 59,000 students boarding and semi-boarding at 22 ethnic boarding schools and about 160 ethnic boarding schools. This means that there are still about 273,000 students in need but not yet boarding and semi-boarding, still having to go back and forth on bumpy roads every day to school, nurturing their dream of knowledge.

According to the results of the Third Socio -Economic Information Survey of 53 Ethnic Minorities (announced by the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions in July 2025), the average distance from home to school for ethnic minority students in border areas at primary level is 2.6 km, and at secondary level is 4.7 km, higher than the average of 53 ethnic minorities. The distance from home to school is too far, making the learning path of many ethnic minority students very precarious.

Muong Leo Ethnic Minority Primary and Secondary School, Son La province opens the 2025-2026 school year.

In the 2025-2026 school year, Chao A Ton, born in 2014, Dao ethnic group, is a 6B student - Khanh Xuan Ethnic Minority Secondary School, Cao Bang province. A Ton is one of two 6B students from Ca Lo - a border village about 30 km away from the center of Khanh Xuan commune by forest road. From grade 1 to grade 4, A Ton studied in the village (Ca Lo School belongs to Khanh Xuan Ethnic Minority Primary School), and in grade 5, he had to go to the main school to study.

According to Chao A Ton, studying, living and enjoying the State's educational support policies are a great motivation for him to study well. But Ton also does not know whether he will be able to complete his high school education. Because the commune does not have a boarding school connecting junior high school and high school, when he finishes junior high school, Ton will have to go a further distance to get to high school, while his family is still very poor.

Building a knowledge "fulcrum" in the fence area

Implementing the boarding and semi-boarding policy, a student studying at a DTNT high school will receive financial support for studying, equivalent to an average of 23 million VND/school year from the budget; for students at DTBT schools, the average is about 16 million VND/student/school year. But after each school year, each level, the number of students in boarding and semi-boarding schools still "drops" a few students.

Among the many reasons why students in mountainous and border areas cannot complete their education, there is a lack of inter-level boarding schools, especially inter-level boarding schools for all three levels. According to data from the Ministry of Education and Training, in 248 border communes on the mainland, there are currently 956 general schools, of which only about 110 are inter-level primary and secondary schools; 04 are inter-level secondary and high schools; there are no inter-level primary, secondary and high schools.

Khanh Xuan Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Cao Bang province organized a training course on boarding life skills for students on September 15, 2025.

Implementing the Politburo's policy in Notice No. 81-TB/TW, dated July 27, 2025, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting with relevant ministries and branches. The Prime Minister launched a rapid campaign to build inter-level boarding schools for 248 border communes; in the immediate future, 100 schools will be completed and started in 2025 (put into use in the 2026-2027 school year at the latest), then it will be expanded to all border areas on land.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has requested to prioritize the allocation of the central budget in accordance with the direction of the Politburo; at the same time, mobilize social resources to the maximum; create a vibrant and widespread emulation movement.

“We must mobilize the strength of the entire political system and the entire society to participate in many forms such as contributing labor, strength, and working days. In particular, the Army and Police are ready to undertake construction in the most dangerous and difficult places,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

Mobilizing social resources to build inter-level boarding schools not only meets the increasing learning needs of students but also opens up opportunities to narrow the gap in educational conditions between the lowlands and the highlands, thereby creating a future for the border areas of the Fatherland.

According to a survey by the Ministry of Education and Training, to ensure learning and living conditions for students in the border areas on land, it is necessary to invest in additional 6,116 theoretical classrooms and 6,692 subject rooms; 7,982 student dormitories; 765 kitchens; 706 kitchen storages; 843 dining rooms; 976 student management rooms; 791 common rooms; 656 cultural houses; 3,413 official accommodation rooms for teachers.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/kien-tao-tuong-lai-tu-nhung-ngoi-truong-noi-tru-2448871.html