Simultaneous groundbreaking of inter-level boarding schools at the border: Promise of progress to the people

On the morning of November 9, many localities across the country will hold groundbreaking ceremonies for boarding schools at the primary and secondary levels in the border communes. This is not just a normal construction activity, but a concrete step to realize a policy that has been carefully prepared from the central to local levels for many months, with the spirit of "urgency, determination, certainty, and effectiveness".

On July 18, 2025, the Politburo issued Notice No. 81-TB/TW agreeing on the investment policy to build 248 inter-level boarding schools in 248 land border communes. In the immediate future, the pilot will complete 100 newly built or renovated schools in 2025, considering them as models to replicate and complete the entire target in the next 2-3 years.

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.

Along with the investment target, Notice No. 81-TB/TW clearly assigns responsibilities: The Ministry of Education and Training reviews boarding/semi-boarding policies, arranges and trains teachers who know ethnic languages; the Ministry of Construction presides over the design of standard models; the Ministry of Finance balances resources; localities arrange land funds, infrastructure, mobilize armed forces to participate in implementation; at the same time, encourage twinning between schools nationwide to support disadvantaged areas.

Government Action Plan: “Open”, Safe, Sustainable Standards

By September 26, 2025, the Government issued Resolution No. 298/NQ-CP on the Action Plan to implement Notice 81-TB/TW. The technical standards are clearly stated: Each school is from 5 to 10 hectares, with a scale of about 30 classes, equivalent to about 1,000 students; "open" and flexible design, suitable for local culture, terrain, and climate of each region; synchronous infrastructure (electricity, clean water, drainage, traffic, telecommunications), safe from natural disasters (landslides, floods, storms, etc.), with enough areas for learning, boarding, public services, dining, multi-purpose halls, sports, libraries, and growing experience areas.

Dissected terrain areas may be smaller than 5 hectares and under 30 layers if minimum standards are met; densely populated areas may be larger than 30 layers. The timeline is emphasized: Start construction of 100 schools in 2025 and complete by August 30, 2026.

On October 9, 2025, the Prime Minister issued Decision 2231/QD-TTg allocating an additional VND6,640 billion to 18 localities to invest in schools in border communes. Nghe An is one of the places receiving a large allocation, about VND681,461 billion for 10 schools; the Na Ngoi Primary - Secondary Boarding School project has started construction with a scale of about 5.5 hectares with 49 classrooms, a total investment of nearly VND240 billion, aiming to serve over 1,900 students.

In addition, according to Document 10545/VPCP-KGVX dated October 31, 2025, the Prime Minister assigned: The Ministry of Education and Training to preside over the organization of a groundbreaking ceremony in person combined with online on November 9; The Ministry of Finance to carry out procedures to allocate 1,500 billion VND in savings from Party Congresses at all levels for the task of building inter-level border schools.

Synchronous implementation in localities

Lao Cai : It is expected that on the morning of November 9, 4 schools in the communes of Mu Sung, Y Ty, Muong Khuong and Pha Long will start construction with a construction period of 9 months, striving to complete before August 30, 2026. The remaining schools in the communes of Ban Lau, Trinh Tuong, Si Ma Cai, Ban Vuoc and Ban Phiet will start construction in 2026 and be completed in 2027.

School buildings in border communes are invested synchronously with: classroom blocks, dormitories, multi-purpose halls, libraries, kitchens, technical infrastructure... with a scale of 28 to 36 classrooms, serving from 980 to more than 1,200 students per school; meeting level 2 facility standards as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training. The total investment for each school ranges from 230 to 299 billion VND.

Nghe An : 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.

Ha Tinh : With 7 border communes, the province has completed the survey, made a list and proposed investment in 7 school projects in the period of 2025 - 2026, with a total investment of more than 740 billion VND. Of which, 2 projects will start construction in 2025 with a total investment of nearly 300 billion VND, including Son Kim 1 Primary - Secondary Boarding School and Huong Khe Primary - Secondary Boarding School; the remaining 5 projects are expected to be implemented in 2026 with a total investment of more than 440 billion VND, in the communes of Son Kim 2, Son Hong, Vu Quang, Huong Xuan, and Huong Binh.

Cao Bang : According to the plan, the province will build 11 inter-level boarding schools in border communes, each school will be 5 - 6.5 hectares with 29 to 35 classes, serving 950 - 1,200 students, with a total investment of 190 - 220 billion VND/school. The expected construction period is from December 15, 2025 to June 30, 2026, with the project completed and handed over for use in August 2026.

Quang Tri : The province plans to invest in building, upgrading and expanding 10 new primary and secondary schools; upgrading, renovating and expanding 6 general schools or ethnic boarding schools into inter-level general schools in 15 border communes. The province proposed the Ministry of Education and Training to invest in 4 inter-level boarding schools to be invested in 2025 and completed in 2026 in the communes of Dakrong, Huong Phung, Dan Hoa and Thuong Trach.

An Giang : It is expected that on the morning of November 9, An Giang will simultaneously start construction of inter-level boarding schools in border communes. Of which, Vinh Gia Inter-level Boarding School has a project land area of 4.29 hectares, an investment scale of 45 classes, 1,500 students, about 600 boarding students, a total expected investment of more than 186 billion VND. Giang Thanh Inter-level Boarding School has a project land area of 4.2 hectares (planning an additional 1 hectare), including 30 classes with 1,000 students, about 430 boarding students with a total expected investment of 187.5 billion VND...

Gia Lai : The total investment for 7 border schools is expected to be 1,516 billion VND from the central budget, of which 397,149 billion VND is the first advance payment. This advance payment will be used for investment preparation and construction commencement in 2025. The province is currently urgently completing procedures to commence construction simultaneously. According to the plan, the 7 schools will be inaugurated on August 30, 2026 and put into operation in the 2026-2027 school year.

Lai Chau : In 2025, the province will build 5 schools, of which 3 have started construction in the communes of Phong Tho, Pa Tan, and Bum Nua. There are 2 schools in the communes of Hua Bum and Dao San. The province has completed the site clearance work to organize the groundbreaking ceremony on November 9.

Na Ngoi Primary and Secondary Boarding School has an area of about 5.5 hectares, with a total investment of nearly 240 billion VND from state and socialized capital. The project is invested in a modern and synchronous manner with 49 classrooms, including all items: classrooms, functional rooms, dormitory area, dining room, playground, experience area, production area...

Other localities with land borders such as Tuyen Quang, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Thanh Hoa, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong... are also urgently preparing to start construction of inter-level ethnic boarding schools.

Promise of progress to the people in the border area

The simultaneous groundbreaking ceremony of multi-level boarding schools for ethnic minorities not only created a positive media effect but was also a "promise of progress" to the people in the border areas.

According to Notice 81-TB/TW, investing in schools in border communes is a key task in socio-economic development and implementing ethnic policies. That is to improve people's knowledge, create a source of local cadres, improve material and spiritual life, and strengthen national defense and security.

The inter-level boarding model solves the problems of geography, distance, and sparse population, allowing for the organization of teaching, learning, and nurturing of students in safe conditions, with adequate food, accommodation, and living conditions, while relying on a standard design to speed up progress, save costs, and ensure quality.

On the other hand, the “open design” standard stated in Resolution 298/NQ-CP helps each project adapt to the national culture, terrain, and climate of each region. From multi-purpose houses, cultural and artistic areas to production areas, the items are designed in a practical and sustainable direction, meeting the goal of comprehensive education associated with experience.

In the long term, the network of inter-level boarding schools in border communes will contribute to narrowing the regional educational gap and creating local human resources. (In photo: Students of Da Bac B Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, Phu Tho province during extracurricular hours)

Narrowing the gap, "sticking" to the border with knowledge

In the long term, the network of inter-level boarding schools in border communes will contribute to narrowing the regional educational gap, creating local human resources, and more importantly, strengthening the people's national defense and security posture from the foundation of knowledge, discipline, and skills. The consistent message in 81-TB/TW is to improve people's knowledge, create ethnic minority cadres, improve living standards, and maintain border sovereignty with the power of education.

The groundbreaking ceremony on November 9 is therefore not the destination, but the starting point of a long-term campaign: Turning “open” standards into concrete projects; turning capital, area, and classrooms into safe, modern school environments; turning the resonance of the Central - local - enterprises - armed forces into new trust of parents and students at the border of the Fatherland.

vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/dong-loat-khoi-cong-truong-noi-tru-lien-cap-o-bien-gioi-loi-hua-tien-do-truoc-nhan-dan-post886310.html