Digital transformation - The golden key to unlocking knowledge in the highlands.

The world we live in no longer operates according to old rules. The Fourth Industrial Revolution did not arrive gently; it came like a digital deluge, with the power to fundamentally change the way we operate in every aspect of social life.

We are facing shocking statistics: in just one minute, the world generates as much data as a millennium combined; AI is gradually replacing millions of traditional jobs, and any nation that lags behind in the race for digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and the knowledge economy will erase itself from the map of world powers.

In this context, the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party identifies: "Promoting national digital transformation is a new and groundbreaking method to shorten the process of industrialization and modernization ." At the same time, the task of digital transformation in the education sector is identified as the responsibility of the entire political system to build a learning society and create lifelong learning opportunities for all citizens. The Resolution of the 16th Provincial Party Congress also clearly defines the goal: "Focus on developing high-quality human resources, promoting the application of science and technology, with a focus on digital transformation in priority areas, especially education and healthcare . "

  

Developing digital skills for teachers and students at Kim Chung Primary School, Phieng Khoai Commune.

The Digital Transformation Landscape of Education in Son La - Highlights of Breakthroughs

Under the leadership of the Provincial Party Committee and the decisive involvement of the Education sector, digital transformation in Son La's education is no longer a distant concept but has become a reality through concrete, quantifiable results:

The implementation of data infrastructure digitization and management is receiving significant attention. By the beginning of 2026, the entire province had completed the synchronization of education sector data with the national population database. 100% of educational institutions implemented electronic management of student records, transcripts, and grade sheets; applied student management software, exchanged work in a digital environment, held online meetings, and strengthened connections between schools and parents through digital platforms. This contributed to improving management efficiency, saving time, and facilitating coordination in education. This is an important step, realizing the spirit of "Building a digital government, digital economy, and digital society" as outlined in the Resolution of the 16th Provincial Party Congress.

Focus on promoting the development of a learning ecosystem. To date , the education sector in Son La has built a shared digital learning resource library with over 15,000 electronic lectures and interactive videos. Notably, the "Classroom Without Walls" model has successfully connected central schools with more than 200 remote schools in disadvantaged areas via an online platform.

The quality of digital human resources in the education system has undergone positive and comprehensive changes. The percentage of teachers capable of applying IT to teaching has reached over 90%, with approximately 30% of core teachers having begun applying AI and modern graphic design software to create engaging lessons. Over the years, the education system in the province has actively applied information technology in teaching, such as designing electronic lesson plans, using visual aids and videos, exploiting digital learning materials, and gradually applying artificial intelligence (AI) to support the development of lesson content, linked to innovative teaching methods that promote student initiative and creativity.

At the same time, the application of digital technology in teaching and learning has made a positive contribution to the formation of digital skills for students, aiming towards the goal of building digital citizens. In particular, the education sector always focuses on educating students about safe internet usage skills, appropriate information search skills, learning skills in the digital environment, and appropriate behavior in cyberspace.

The barriers, bottlenecks, and obstacles that need to be removed.

Despite the positive aspects, the digital transformation in Son La's education sector still faces obstacles that need to be overcome.

The disparity in access to digital infrastructure is creating a real "wall" between students in privileged and disadvantaged areas. In urban areas, the percentage of students with smart devices is over 85%, while in disadvantaged areas this figure is only 15-20%.

"Electricity and signal blind spots": Currently, dozens of remote schools throughout the province still lack stable access to the national power grid or are located in areas with poor telecommunications signal coverage. This renders modern online learning platforms ineffective in the areas where they are most needed.

Mental inertia and adaptability: A segment of administrators and teachers still harbor a "reluctance to change" mentality, viewing digital transformation as an administrative burden rather than a tool to free up labor. Teaching thinking remains heavily focused on one-way knowledge transmission, failing to strongly shift towards developing self-learning and research skills in cyberspace – a core objective of Resolution 29-NQ/TW.

Based on the above realities, the Son La Education Department needs to continue implementing breakthrough solutions in line with the spirit of "Accelerating Digital Transformation" of the 14th Party Congress.

Breakthrough solutions – the “golden key” to unlocking knowledge in mountainous regions.

By identifying the barriers between requirements and practice, Son La's education sector needs to focus on effectively implementing breakthrough solutions – the key to unlocking the door to knowledge for education in the highlands:

First and foremost, it is necessary to establish a "Multi-tiered Digital Education Network" – flattening geographical barriers.

Building a connected infrastructure and digital learning resources framework aims to ensure that all students in disadvantaged areas have access to high-quality education. Investing in information technology infrastructure eliminates areas with poor IT coverage and electricity infrastructure.

Implement the "Classroom Without Walls" model, establishing a real-time online teaching system between the central school and satellite schools in disadvantaged areas. Promote the deployment of offline digital learning materials. Develop integrated learning applications with digital lecture content on tablets/dedicated learning devices that can operate without a continuous internet connection for students in particularly disadvantaged areas.

Secondly, implement the "Digital Teacher" strategy – creating a breakthrough in human resources adapting to the digital age.

The requirement is to enhance and deepen awareness of the mission. The pioneering and leading role of the management staff and teachers in the province's education system. A radical shift in mindset is needed among staff and teachers, moving from "fear of technology" to "mastering technology." Digital transformation indicators and creativity in digital teaching should be incorporated into the annual evaluation criteria for Party members and teachers.

Enhance digital governance capabilities and skills in designing modern interactive lesson plans on digital platforms. Strengthen "embedded" training, organize practical training sessions, and enable teachers to directly build lessons using AI and data analytics platforms.

Step-by-step development of a highly skilled team of teachers in mountainous regions, capable of independently producing digital learning materials reflecting local cultural identity. Promoting the development of digital learning communities, and building a network of key presenters and teachers to provide 24/7 online support to teachers in remote villages through digital professional groups.

Thirdly, effectively build and implement the "Digital Citizen at the Village Level" model – linking education with community digital transformation.

The goal is to transform each educational institution into a center for disseminating digital culture, helping students in mountainous areas become "digital communicators" in their communities. This should be coupled with integrating digital skills education with career guidance and preserving the rich traditional cultural identity of ethnic groups, especially the skill of "self-defense" in cyberspace. Integrating education on cybersecurity, combating fake news, and protecting oneself online into extracurricular programs in educational institutions is crucial. All of these solutions must aim to build a humane, modern, and culturally rich educational ecosystem in Son La.

In conclusion, digital transformation is not an end in itself, but the most effective method to realize the aspiration for fundamental and comprehensive educational reform in accordance with the spirit of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the 16th Provincial Party Congress Resolution. This is the shortest path to eliminating educational disparities between different regions. We need to move from awareness to concrete action: avoiding formality and superficiality, and using the success and digital skills of each student and the community as the measure of value for all transformation efforts.

If knowledge is considered light, then digital transformation is the network that transmits that light to the most remote corners of the land. In the spirit of the 14th National Congress – the spirit of aspiration for progress – education in Son La will not stop at "adapting" but will proactively "lead" so that even the most remote villages become centers of digital knowledge.

The resolutions of the 14th National Party Congress and the 16th Provincial Party Congress have ignited the flame, and the educational reality of Son La is beckoning. The door to the future has opened – the "golden key" is ready in the hands of every teacher. Let's act together to ignite the aspirations for education, so that every click of the mouse by students today will open up a bright future for Son La and for a Vietnam rising in the new era.

Nguyen Duy Luong - Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department of the Provincial Party Committee

Source: https://sonla.dcs.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/noi-dung/chuyen-doi-so-chia-khoa-vang-mo-cua-tri-thuc-vung-cao-8021.html