Simultaneous groundbreaking of 9 boarding schools: A turning point in education in the border region of Nghe An

(Chinhphu.vn) - Nghe An is one of the localities with the most border communes in the country, with 21 communes. At the same time, the number of schools approved by the Central Government to start construction in 2025, expected to be completed before August 30, 2026, is also among the top in the country.

On October 11, 2025, General Secretary To Lam and leaders of the State and ministries performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Na Ngoi Primary and Secondary Boarding School in Na Ngoi commune, Nghe An province.

In an interview with the Government Electronic Newspaper, Prof. Dr. Thai Van Thanh, Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education , National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An province, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An, shared about the progress, solutions and orientations for implementing the construction of a system of boarding schools for primary and secondary schools in the border communes of Nghe An province.

High political determination, urgent - drastic - effective implementation

According to Prof. Dr. Thai Van Thanh, investing in building schools for land border communes is a major policy of the Party and State, which has great significance in improving people's knowledge, training cadres from ethnic minorities, and at the same time taking care of the material and spiritual life of people in border areas, contributing to strengthening national defense and security and maintaining national solidarity.

"From the beginning, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee identified this as a key and urgent political task, mobilizing the entire political system to participate in the spirit of urgency, determination, certainty and effectiveness," Mr. Thanh emphasized.

Prof. Dr. Thai Van Thanh, Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, National Assembly Delegation of Nghe An province, Director of Nghe An Department of Education and Training

Of the 10 inter-level boarding schools approved for investment by the Central Government in 2025, the school in Na Ngoi commune has officially started construction. For the remaining 9 schools in border communes such as Nhon Mai, Keng Du, Bac Ly, Mon Son..., the Department of Education and Training has completed the plan and submitted it to the Provincial People's Committee for approval to organize a groundbreaking ceremony on November 9, 2025.

In addition, the Plan for implementing Resolution 298/NQ-CP of the Government and Conclusion Notice 81-TB/TW of the Politburo has been consulted and completed by the Department of Education and Training and submitted to the Provincial People's Committee for promulgation. Accordingly, 10 schools will start construction in 2025, and 11 schools in 2026.

"Time is running out, the pressure is huge, but Nghe An has high political determination and great consensus from all levels, sectors, localities and the people," affirmed Professor, Dr. Thai Van Thanh.

The Provincial People's Committee has established a Provincial Steering Committee (according to Decision No. 3379/QD-UBND dated October 27, 2025) to operate in a unified manner, while thoroughly implementing the "6 clear" principle: clear people, clear work, clear responsibilities, clear authority, clear time, clear results in each implementation step, to ensure progress, quality and investment efficiency.

Removing difficulties from mountainous reality and complex terrain

Nghe An has a border of hundreds of kilometers (adjacent to Laos), stretching across many difficult terrains, harsh weather, limited land fund, landslides and frequent floods... which are significant obstacles to the implementation of large-scale construction projects in the border area.

To ensure the progress and quality of the project, the survey and selection of construction sites are carried out in a scientific, strict and synchronous manner. On November 3, 2025, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee held a meeting with relevant departments and branches to remove difficulties and obstacles in implementing Notice 81-TB/TW.

On November 3, 2025, Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Duc Trung chaired the meeting of the Provincial Party Standing Committee.

At the meeting, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Duc Trung assigned the Provincial People's Committee to direct the departments of Construction, Agriculture and Environment, Education and Training, Finance, the Provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board and localities to urgently review, evaluate and prepare land funds that meet the criteria of area, geology and safety in 21 border communes - especially 10 communes that will start construction in 2025.

The Department of Education and Training coordinates with specialized units to conduct surveys of terrain and geology, determine construction locations to avoid areas at risk of landslides and flash floods, and at the same time plan reasonable campuses, creating learning, living and sports spaces suitable to the natural conditions of each locality.

According to Professor Thai Van Thanh, a notable point is that local authorities and people actively responded to the movement, contributed and accompanied the "Campaign to build schools in border areas".

To ensure progress, the Implementation Results Report will be sent periodically in the first week of every month to the Provincial Party Standing Committee. "We consider this a regular task, continuously monitored, not allowing any delay or formality," said Mr. Thanh.

Na Ngoi Primary and Secondary Boarding School, Na Ngoi Commune, Nghe An Province has a total investment capital of nearly 240 billion VND from State and socialized capital sources.

Proactively prepare operational resources and staff after the school is completed.

In addition to investing in facilities, Nghe An province has also carefully prepared the organization, personnel and operating mechanisms of inter-level boarding schools.

Prof. Dr. Thai Van Thanh said that after the project is completed, the Department of Education and Training will coordinate with departments, branches and localities to establish boarding schools for primary and secondary schools on the basis of merging existing primary and secondary schools in each commune. Thanks to that, the team of managers, teachers and staff has been basically guaranteed and has experience in caring for and managing semi-boarding and boarding students.

At the same time, the Department also develops a plan to arrange and mobilize teachers reasonably, based on a review of the existing staff and actual needs in the coming period; at the same time, proposes a plan to train and foster teachers who can use ethnic minority languages ​​and languages ​​of neighboring countries, in order to increase communication skills and understanding of border culture, helping to educate and mobilize students more effectively.

In particular, training of managers, teachers and staff in management skills and education of boarding students is also focused on. Training courses, seminars and experience exchanges between ethnic boarding schools in the province will be held regularly. "The goal is to build a team that is not only professionally strong but also understands the psychology and culture of ethnic minority students, so that each school can truly be their second home," Mr. Thanh shared.

Regarding long-term policies, the Department of Education and Training is reviewing and comprehensively evaluating the current policy system related to boarding and semi-boarding students and teachers in border areas. The contents of interest include: standards for managers, teachers and staff; allowances; scholarship policies; accommodation support, provision of learning materials; funding for facility maintenance; increasing regular operating expenses for schools, etc.

The review results will be reported to the Provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Education and Training, with the aim of proposing amendments and supplements to regulations and policies in a direction suitable to local realities, ensuring that students in border areas enjoy full boarding and semi-boarding rights, overcoming difficulties in terrain and geographical distance.

"Schools on the border - a solid foundation for the future"

According to Professor Thai Van Thanh, building schools in border communes is not only an investment in education, but also an investment in sustainable development, a "soft fence of the nation" - a place to nurture knowledge, personality and patriotism of the young generation in border areas.

"We consider this a task that is both educational and of national strategic significance. When students in border areas have good learning conditions, dedicated teachers, and spacious schools, that is the foundation for the border area to develop, stabilize, and become strong," Mr. Thanh emphasized.

Son Hao

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/dong-loat-khoi-cong-9-truong-noi-tru-buoc-ngoat-giao-duc-vung-bien-nghe-an-102251105123228092.htm