Upgrading the boarding and semi-boarding school system in ethnic minority areas

Perfecting mechanisms and resources

The National Target Program for Socio -Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 period is one of the key programs of the Government, aiming at sustainable poverty reduction, comprehensive education development, strengthening the system of ethnic boarding schools (PTDTNT), semi-boarding schools (PTDTBT), general schools with semi-boarding students and promoting illiteracy eradication. In that general picture, the Education sector plays a key role in improving the quality of human resources in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

According to the assignment, in this National Target Program, the Ministry of Education and Training presides over 3 tasks including: Project 4.2 on investment in facilities for Tay Nguyen University, Tay Bac University, T78 Friendship School, Friendship 80; Project 5.1 on innovation and consolidation of the system of ethnic minority boarding schools, boarding schools, and illiteracy eradication; Project 5.3 on vocational education and employment for ethnic minority and mountainous laborers. In which, Project 5.1 is considered the "backbone" at the general level for education in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Regarding direction and management, the Ministry of Education and Training has established a Steering Committee and sub-committees to assist the National Target Programs for the period 2021-2025; issued a system of plans and guidelines for implementing Project 5.1 according to the roadmap. Thanks to that, localities have a legal corridor and unified process to integrate resources and organize implementation.

Inspection and supervision work is maintained annually and "touches" the right implementation points at the grassroots level. In 2022, the Ministry inspected Phu Tho, Hoa Binh and the Departments of Education and Training of Son La and Dak Lak (Decision 3644/QD-BGDDT). In 2023, it inspected 6 provinces: Ha Giang , Cao Bang, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai (Decision 3622/QD-BGDDT). In 2024, it continued in Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Lai Chau, Kon Tum (Decision 3375/QD-BGDDT). After the inspection, there were announcements of results and instructions on how to resolve problems.

Regarding Project 5.1 resources, the capital plan for the 2021-2025 period is expected to be allocated to 42 localities at VND 8,074,638 million (investment of VND 6,293,046 million; public service of VND 1,781,592 million). In 2025 alone, the Ministry of Education and Training has proposed to allocate VND 2,274,927 million (investment of VND 1,670,193 million; public service of VND 604,734 million). Thus, by the end of the period, the central budget source for 42 localities is basically proposed to be allocated 100% as planned.

As of March 31, 2025, the total budget allocated for implementation at the local level reached VND 8,309,499 billion (equivalent to 91.13% of the phase plan; 102.93% compared to the level proposed by the Ministry), of which investment capital was VND 5,688,504 billion (NSTW) and VND 643,210 billion (NSĐP); public service capital was VND 1,794,737 billion (NSTW) and VND 132,494 billion (NSĐP); other mobilized capital was VND 50,554 billion.

Disbursement by March 31, 2025, implementation reached 6,825,903 billion VND (equivalent to 82.15% of the total allocated budget), of which NSTW alone reached 6,329,790 billion (84.59%). It is estimated that by December 31, 2025, disbursement will be 7,909,07507 billion VND (equivalent to 95.18%), of which NSTW will be 7,074,83932 billion (94.54%). This is a remarkable effort if placed in the context of many public investment items in difficult areas often "stuck" in progress due to legal procedures, terrain factors and natural disasters.

In addition to the achieved results, the 2021-2025 period still has some limitations such as: Mobilization of non-budgetary resources is still thin, with only 5 localities recording 50,554 billion VND of other capital; implementation capacity is uneven among provinces, leading to the risk of overlapping tasks among departments and branches; the reporting regime of some places is not really synchronized, making it difficult to synthesize, monitor and evaluate.

Leaders of the Academy of Educational Management presented their opinions at the workshop to evaluate the implementation situation in the 2021-2025 period, and develop a plan for education and training contents in the National Target Program on Ethnic Minority and Rural Development for the 2026-2030 period.

Solutions for the new phase

Based on the existing legal foundation and the gradually narrowing disbursement "delay", in the 2026-2030 period, the education and training contents of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas need to strongly shift the focus to the quality of benefits in each school and each target group.

The report of the Ministry of Education and Training at the conference summarizing 5 years of implementing the contents of education and training under the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2025, with orientations for the period 2026-2030, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training in coordination with the People's Committee of Phu Tho province, clearly stated the main orientations including: Strengthening the network of boarding schools for ethnic minorities, boarding schools for ethnic minorities and schools with boarding students; strengthening flexible literacy according to the community; improving the quality of staff; promoting digital transformation in teaching and learning management; and closely linking training (especially career guidance in junior high school/high school) with the needs of the local labor market.

The solutions proposed in the coming period are: Standardizing the norms and criteria for supporting boarding schools in the direction of increasing investment in nutrition and living facilities, ensuring maintenance and sustainable operation of invested teaching equipment; Isolate "bottlenecks" in capital and procedures, require localities to commit to quarterly disbursement progress, and shorten appraisal and bidding time.

In terms of literacy, the Program will expand flexible, seasonally appropriate classroom models, focusing on vulnerable groups such as women, spontaneous migrants, and residents in remote areas.

Along with that, the connection between schools, communities and businesses will be expanded from organizing experiential activities, career guidance close to agriculture, forestry, and indigenous tourism to developing cultural and sports clubs to preserve identity and reduce dropout rates.

At the administrative level, experience from the 2021-2025 period shows that the Joint Steering Committee model for the 3 projects has helped to "collect" focal points, avoiding duplication, but also requires clearer division of roles between departments and branches to avoid spreading resources. In the coming period, it is necessary to unify the focal point for implementing each component and apply an online monitoring database to update progress, reduce errors and reporting delays.

In particular, policy communication will be considered a strategic component. Instead of just conveying documents, communication in the new phase needs to tell real stories about changing highland classrooms, boarding students returning to school, adults escaping illiteracy... the most vivid evidence of the effectiveness of the policy.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/nang-tam-he-thong-truong-noi-tru-ban-tru-vung-dan-toc-thieu-so-post755880.html