Hanoi (VNA) – By the 2027-2028 academic year, Vietnam plans that border area communes with difficult travel conditions will construct inter-level boarding schools to meet local learning needs.
A groundbreaking ceremony for 121 boarding schools for primary and lower secondary education in the border communes was held simultaneously across 17 provinces and cities nationwide on March 19.
The event carries profound humanitarian significance, ensuring that all students, even those in the most remote border regions of the country, have equal access to quality education. It also holds political importance, as improving living standards and the quality of education in border areas helps strengthen national sovereignty.
Accelerated construction
The project is being caried out in line with the Politburo’s Conclusion Notice No. 81-TB/TW dated July 18, 2025. Accordingly, a total of 248 such schools are planned for 248 border communes.
Given its significant humanitarian and socio-political importance, along with close attention from Party General Secretary To Lam and strong direction from the Prime Minister, the programme would be on an unprecedented scale at remarkable speed.
In Phase 1, on November 9, 2025, the Ministry of Education and Training organised the simultaneous groundbreaking of 100 inter-level boarding schools in 14 provinces. Thanks to strong mobilisation of resources, the actual number rose to 108 schools, all scheduled for completion before August 30, 2026.
In Phase 2, construction has begun on 121 schools with a total estimated investment of 30,000 billion VND (approximately 1.2 billion USD), including around 28,000 billion VND (1.12 billion USD) from the central budget and 2.1 trillion VND (80 million USD) from local budgets. These schools are expected to be completed before August 30, 2027, in time for the 2027–2028 school year.
Compared to the original target of 248 schools, the number has been reduced by 19, as some localities have more favourable terrain or do not require boarding models. Others regions have used their own budgets for construction.
At the launch of the programme, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasised ambitious progress targets, urging ministries, sectors and border localities to act decisively, work urgently, and implement the programme with determination, while continuously reviewing, learning from experience and making necessary adjustments to ensure effectiveness and sustainability.
He stressed that the work must be carried out with the highest sense of responsibility, for national interests and for the future of children in border communities.
Currently, across provinces with border communes, construction of boarding schools is progressing rapidly, with efforts continuing day and night despite challenging conditions.
Demonstrating this pace, the Si Pa Phin Inter-level Boarding School for Primary and Lower Secondary Education in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien, the first school under the programme, was inaugurated on January 31, just six months after construction began, meeting the expectations of residents.
Dream schools taking shape
At the inauguration ceremony of the Si Pa Phin school, Lo Thi Long Nhi, an eighth-grade student, expressed her joy at studying in a modern, well-equipped new school, and pledged to study diligently and contribute to the development of her hometown at the border.
For students and residents of Si Pa Phin, the school is considered a dream come true. Covering 6.88 hectares, it is designed in the image of traditional stilt houses of highland communities, blending harmoniously with the northwestern mountainous landscape. It is equipped with modern, synchronised facilities to accommodate more than 1,000 students.
The academic area includes 31 standard classrooms, 14 subject rooms, and rooms for educational equipment, music, STEM programming, counselling, and a library. The boarding and staff housing area comprises administrative offices, 120 dormitory rooms for students, and 15 staff accommodation rooms.
The school also features a multi-purpose hall, cultural house, sports grounds, swimming pool, kitchen, and standard sanitation facilities.
With its spacious environment, modern classrooms and well-developed boarding and staff facilities, the school represents not only a dream for students in border areas but also an aspiration even for those in more advantaged regions.
Beyond Si Pa Phin, under the Prime Minister’s direction, all boarding schools in border areas must meet high-quality standards. Each school is planned to cover 5–10 hectares, including areas for learning, boarding, staff housing, physical training, cultural activities, experiential learning, and production activities. Locations must ensure convenient transport connections and sufficient essential infrastructure such as electricity, clean water, wastewater systems, and telecommunications. Designs must also reflect regional characteristics.
Planning and design are required to be modern, suitable to the local climate, culture, and terrain. In areas with uneven topography, designs must ensure connectivity, prevent landslides, optimise land use, and facilitate student access.
Party General Secretary Lam affirmed that education and training are identified as a top national priority and a foundation for rapid and sustainable development. In border, remote, and disadvantaged areas, education not only improves knowledge but also serves as a fundamental, long-term solution to safeguarding national sovereignty at its roots, through people and communities attached to their land and borders.
The overarching goal, he noted, is to create favourable conditions for teachers to work with peace of mind and long-term commitment, and for students to study and develop in the best possible environment, ensuring that all children, regardless of location, have equal opportunities to realise their potential and contribute to society.
He also stated that the Party and State will continue to expand the inter-level boarding school model for other disadvantaged areas with large ethnic minority populations, thereby narrowing development gaps and ensuring equitable access to education.
