Lai Chau highland schools find it difficult to implement boarding policies.

However, many schools in Lai Chau , up to now, the implementation is still confusing.

Students bring lunch to class

In the 2025-2026 school year, Lang Mo Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Tua Sin Chai Commune (Lai Chau) has 372 students, of which more than 280 are in difficult circumstances, living far away and unable to travel back and forth during the day.

Mr. Nguyen Ich Duc - Vice Principal of the school, said: "Currently, only 28 students living more than 7km from the school are eligible for boarding benefits according to Decree 66. However, in reality, there are 254 students who do not live far enough but are in difficult circumstances, the road is mountainous and difficult, and they cannot go back and forth in one day."

Lang Mo area has 7 villages, of which 5 villages are located from 5 to under 7km from the school. In Ho Suoi Tong village alone, half of the population lives far away, making travel difficult, but the distance does not meet the policy requirements as stipulated in Decree 66.

Mr. Duc emphasized that previously, the list of students with difficult conditions was assessed by the district level. But now, when implementing the two levels of government, the school's biggest problem is that there is no specific document from the Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee regulating areas with complex terrain and difficult traffic.

“This is an important basis to determine that students cannot go to and from school during the day. However, up to now, the province has not had any specific documents, so implementing the policy for students has encountered many obstacles,” Mr. Duc expressed.

The case of Lau Thi Vy - a 9A student is a clear example. Vy lives in Ngai San village, 6km away from the school on a mountainous road. "My house is far away, I cannot go back and forth in a day. Last year I was entitled to a boarding policy, but this year, due to lack of guidance, according to regulations, I do not live far enough to continue to enjoy the policy," Vy said.

Mr. Duong Van Nghi - Principal of Lang Mo Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, shared: "Up to now, more than a month into the school year, students who do not have the required distance of over 7km have not yet enjoyed the boarding regime. Temporarily, the school allows students to bring food from home to class, or parents contribute money to cook for students."

According to Mr. Nghi, the lack of legal basis makes the school worried:

“If there is a document stipulating that children in difficult circumstances who cannot travel back and forth in a day but have not covered 7km can still enjoy the policy, it will be convenient. But if they are not entitled to the policy and the school still organizes meals and accommodation, we do not know where to get the source to make up for the expenses.”

Lang Mo Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities is facing a similar situation. Principal Tran Nam San said: “This school year we have 497 students, of which 277 are boarding students. We are still taking care of students in Ho Suoi Tong village (3.7km from the school), even though there are no instructions yet, because in reality they cannot go home during the day.”

According to Mr. San, the delay in issuing guidelines not only affects the progress of policy implementation, but also makes it difficult to maintain class sizes right from the beginning of the school year.

Students of Lang Mo Primary Boarding School, Tua Sin Chai Commune (Lai Chau).

Hope to have specific instructions soon

According to Point b, Clause 4, Article 14 of Decree 66/2025/ND-CP, the Provincial People's Committee is responsible for: "Based on the provisions of Clause 2 and Clause 3, Article 4 of this Decree and the actual conditions of the locality to specify the area as the basis for determining students and trainees who cannot go to school and return home during the day; in which, the distance, the area with difficult terrain, difficult traffic, having to cross the sea, lakes, rivers, streams, passes, high mountains, landslides, rocks to determine students and trainees who are entitled to support policies".

However, up to now, Lai Chau province has not issued any relevant guidance documents. This puts schools in a passive position when determining the list of eligible students.

Mr. Lo Van Vuong - Principal of Huoi Luong Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, Phong Tho Commune, said: "Because we have not been able to access the support fund, the school has prepared a plan to purchase food and necessities on credit from suppliers to maintain meals for boarding students. We hope that the Provincial People's Committee will soon issue a guiding document to have a basis for making a list of students who are entitled to the regime."

At Ta Ngao Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School in Tua Sin Chai Commune, about 40 students from Seo Sang and Chang Pa Phong villages cannot go home during the day. They live 5-7km from the school, the mountainous road is dangerous and slippery in the rainy season.

Mr. Doan Trong Tuyen, Principal of the school, said: “Currently, we still organize cooking for students in these two villages. However, the school is waiting for instructions from the province. If the province does not have a policy or the commune level does not approve, we will have to hold a meeting with parents to contribute an amount equivalent to the support level stipulated in the Decree.”

According to Mr. Tuyen, the boarding support policy according to Decree 66 includes: Support for meals of nearly 936,000 VND/month, providing 15kg of rice/month, and directly supporting the school with expenses for cooking, medical , electricity, water, boarding management, etc.

“If poor families have to contribute boarding fees for their children when they go to school, it will be very difficult for the school to collect them. On the other hand, if students go home during the day, it will be even more difficult to maintain the number of students in the following days. We hope that Lai Chau province will soon issue specific guidance documents so that schools can implement policies in a timely manner, helping students to enjoy the regime soon,” said Mr. Doan Trong Tuyen.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/truong-vung-cao-lai-chau-kho-trien-khai-chinh-sach-ban-tru-post752483.html