Groundbreaking for 100 Border Area Schools Simultaneously: To Become Model Institutions for Facilities, Educational Organization, Management, and Operation

(Government News) – On November 9, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), in coordination with 14 border provinces, held a groundbreaking ceremony for 100 integrated boarding schools simultaneously in mainland border communes. This is an event of profound political, social, and humanitarian significance. On this occasion, a reporter from the Government E-Newspaper spoke with Mr. Trần Thanh Đạm, Director of the Department of Planning and Finance (MOET), to further clarify the policy, scale, and orientation of the program.

(Q) Sir, what is the significance of the simultaneous groundbreaking ceremony for integrated boarding schools in mainland border communes on November 9 for the education sector and for the people in the border areas?

(A) Mr. Trần Thanh Đạm: The simultaneous groundbreaking ceremony for integrated boarding schools in mainland border communes will be broadcast live on VTV1 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM. The main venue is in Yên Khương commune, Thanh Hóa province, where Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính will attend and deliver a directive speech.

The remaining 13 connection points are organized in the provinces of: Lạng Sơn, Cao Bằng, Lào Cai, Tuyên Quang, Điện Biên, Lai Châu, Sơn La, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Trị, Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng, and An Giang. Attending at these locations are Deputy Prime Ministers, several Government members, leaders of central ministries and agencies; local leaders; along with educational managers, teachers, students, and local people.

This is an event of deep political, social, and humanitarian significance, demonstrating the special attention of the Party and State towards our compatriots, soldiers, and especially students in the border areas – which are considered the “protective shield” of the Fatherland. This activity also aims to ensure equity in access to education, reduce regional disparities, enhance social welfare, and consolidate national defense and security in the border areas.

(Q) Why has the construction of a system of boarding schools in border communes been identified as an urgent requirement?

(A) Mr. Trần Thanh Đạm: According to statistics, the country has 956 schools across 248 mainland border communes. Among these, there are only about 22 Ethnic Minority Boarding Schools with a scale of 7,644 students (accounting for only 2.3% of the total schools and 1.2% of the students in the area eligible for the state boarding policy); and about 160 Ethnic Minority Semi-Boarding Schools, with a scale of 51,131 students (accounting for about 16.7% of the total schools and 8.18% of the total students in the mainland border communes eligible for the state semi-boarding policy).

Out of the total 625,255 students in the border communes, approximately 273,244 students (accounting for 43.7% of the total current student population) are not eligible to study at Ethnic Minority Boarding or Semi-Boarding Schools but have a need for boarding or semi-boarding. Thus, the proportion of students needing boarding/semi-boarding services in the mainland border communes is very high.

Furthermore, the physical infrastructure conditions of schools in border communes remain very difficult and lacking, failing to meet minimum requirements, and not ensuring the ability to accommodate the boarding and semi-boarding needs of students. The teaching force is also insufficient and not yet rationally arranged, greatly affecting education quality, leading to a failure to ensure educational equity.

To improve education quality, narrow regional gaps, and create a source of quality personnel in the border areas to meet the country’s development requirements in the new period, MOET reported and proposed to the Party and State leadership, headed by General Secretary Tô Lâm, the policy of building boarding schools for students in remote, isolated, border, and island areas, especially in mainland border communes.

(Q) Could you provide specific details on the scale and scope of investment for the project to build integrated boarding schools in the border areas?

(A) Mr. Trần Thanh Đạm: According to Politburo Conclusion Notice No. 81-TB/TW dated July 18, 2025, on the investment policy for building schools in border communes, and Government Resolution No. 298/NQ-CP dated September 26, 2025, promulgating the Government’s Action Plan to implement Conclusion Notice 81-TB/TW, the country’s 248 mainland border communes are planned for investment in 248 integrated primary – lower secondary boarding schools.

Of these, 100 schools have been selected for Phase 1 investment, with a total estimated investment capital need of nearly VND 20,000 billion. The Ministry of Finance is assigned to allocate and manage the capital source; localities will directly implement the investment and construction under a special mechanism, ensuring progress, quality, and efficient use of state capital.

The schools simultaneously breaking ground on November 9, 2025, are all part of the list of 100 schools approved by the Government for investment in 2025. They are expected to be completed and put into operation before the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

Parallel to public investment capital, MOET is assigned the task of coordinating with the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations to launch the program “The Whole Nation Joins Hands to Build Schools for Border Communes” and the movement “All for Our Beloved Border Area Students.” This aims to mobilize the united strength of the entire people, businesses, organizations, and individuals, both domestic and foreign, to contribute to building, maintaining, and developing a sustainable school system in the border areas.

(Q) What distinguishes the “integrated boarding school” model from current boarding and semi-boarding schools?

(A) Mr. Trần Thanh Đạm: The integrated boarding schools are designed by the Ministry of Construction to ensure technical standards, scale, and area of school facilities. They feature a synchronous, modern, durable, and safe physical infrastructure system; meeting the highest current standards for school facilities.

Each school is arranged with study areas, boarding dormitories, dining halls, cultural-sports activity areas, libraries, specialized subject rooms, and boarding quarters for teachers, ensuring comprehensive conditions for learning, living, and training.

MOET identifies this as a new school model, not a “condensed school” or a “dispersed school,” but rather a modern, synchronous model combining flexible boarding and semi-boarding policies suitable for the terrain conditions and circumstances of students in border areas.

The first 100 schools breaking ground in 2025 are defined as “model schools,” ensuring both advanced facilities and serving as exemplars in educational organization, management, and operation.

The schools are built to develop students comprehensively in morality, intellect, physique, and aesthetics, providing space for learning, sports, music, arts, career orientation, and cultural development, while also ensuring adequate boarding and semi-boarding conditions for accommodation and meals.

This is the initial step towards completing all 248 schools in the 2025-2028 period, contributing to gradually erasing regional disparities and building a sustainable “knowledge belt” in the border regions.

(Q) What orientations does MOET have regarding attracting teachers and policies for students in the border areas?

(A) Mr. Trần Thanh Đạm: Alongside the construction of integrated boarding schools in mainland border communes, MOET is coordinating with relevant ministries, agencies, and localities to research and develop specific policies for the placement, training, attraction, and retention of a capable and dedicated teaching force that meets the educational requirements of the border areas. These policies are expected to be issued before the 2026-2027 school year, synchronized with the project completion schedule.

For students in the border areas, they will study and live in a modern, safe, and fully-equipped environment. The State will ensure their conditions for accommodation, meals, training, and capacity development. The goal is to ensure equity in access to education, raise the intellectual standard of the people, train local human resources, and contribute to the sustainable development of the border regions.

Thank you very much.

Thu Trang