Efforts to narrow the educational gap between mountainous and lowland areas.

It is necessary to focus on improving the quality of education in mountainous areas. (Illustrative photo: Xuan Phu)

Leading role

By the 2025-2026 school year, the number of schools in Da Nang city will increase significantly to 971 public schools and 212 private schools, with nearly 671,000 students at all levels from preschool to high school, making it one of the localities with the largest education system in the country after the merger.

However, thanks to sound planning, the city's school network meets the educational needs of students in all communes and wards, from the plains to the mountainous, remote, and disadvantaged areas.

In terms of educational quality, Da Nang city has affirmed its leading position in the Central region and the whole country in recent years, excelling in key areas with a series of impressive achievements in national and international student competitions.

Most recently, at the 2024-2025 National Excellent Student Examination, Da Nang won a total of 140 awards, including 8 first prizes and 25 second prizes. On the international stage, Da Nang students also shone brightly, bringing home 3 gold medals at the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad in Turkmenistan, including Tran Quang Nhat (12th grade, Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted), Nguyen Tri Hien and Nguyen Tri Hau (11th grade, Nguyen Binh Khiem High School for the Gifted).

With a solid foundation in human resources (talented students and a highly skilled teaching staff) and effective solutions for improving quality, Da Nang's education system has all the necessary conditions to create a new turning point in its development journey in the coming years, continuing to affirm its leading position in Central Vietnam.

Following the merger of Quang Nam province and Da Nang city, and the implementation of a two-tiered government model, education and training continue to receive significant attention from the city. At the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year, in addition to city leaders, for the first time, all city Party committee members and leaders of departments and agencies were assigned to attend at various schools throughout the city.

The principal of a school in a mountainous area shared that the presence of city leaders not only brought joy on the first day of school but also encouraged and motivated teachers and students ahead of the new academic year.

In addition, to meet the educational needs of children and contribute to the socio-economic development of mountainous areas, Da Nang city has launched the project for a boarding and semi-boarding primary and secondary school in Tay Giang commune with a total investment of 262 billion VND, expected to be completed and put into use from the 2026-2027 school year, serving the education and accommodation of 1,000 local students. Furthermore, six border school sites will also be started in the near future.

Bridging the gap between regions

Bridging the gap between the lowlands and mountainous regions, from infrastructure and personnel to the quality of education, has been the biggest concern for educators in recent times, especially in the former Quang Nam province, where half of the area is mountainous.

High school students in Dong Giang mountainous region. Photo: Xuan Phu

While school facilities in the lowlands are quite well-equipped, mountainous areas still face many difficulties and shortages. This is reflected in the statistics on national standard schools in Quang Nam province (formerly) in 2024.

While localities in the delta region have achieved approximately 100% of their target for standard schools, the former Bac Tra My district still has 29 kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools that have not met the standards (out of a total of 39 schools).

Similarly, the former Dong Giang district still has 18 schools that do not meet the standards (out of 27 schools), and the former Nam Tra My district has 18 out of 29 schools that do not meet the standards. Therefore, a breakthrough in investing in infrastructure for education in mountainous areas is needed in the coming time.

Mountainous regions also face the problem of a shortage of teachers, which greatly affects teaching and learning activities and the quality of education.

Therefore, despite significant positive changes in the quality of education and a relatively high percentage of students admitted to top universities nationwide, the average scores in the annual high school graduation exams in Quang Nam province (formerly) remain quite low, ranking among the bottom of the national rankings (47th in 2023, 53rd in 2024).

While serving as Director of the Department of Education and Training of the former Quang Nam province, Mr. Thai Viet Tuong was deeply concerned about finding solutions to improve the quality of education in mountainous areas and narrow the gap between mountainous and lowland regions.

Besides focusing on improving the quality of teaching and learning, the education sector of Quang Nam (formerly) advocated for strengthening the preparation for the high school graduation exam for students in mountainous areas. After the school year ended, teachers and students stayed at school to prepare for the exam until the high school graduation exam day.

In addition, the former Quang Nam province had a policy of supporting teachers and students during exam preparation; thereby creating motivation for teachers and students to focus on teaching and learning. As a result, schools in mountainous areas improved their graduation rates, contributing to the overall results of the province.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/no-luc-rut-ngan-khoang-cach-giao-duc-giua-mien-nui-va-dong-bang-3302627.html