Education in the Suoi To highlands

Despite facing numerous difficulties, hardships, and inadequate facilities, the teachers at Suoi To Semi-Boarding Ethnic Minority Primary and Secondary School in Suoi To commune are always dedicated, passionate about their profession, and actively participate in the "Teaching well, learning well" emulation movement to improve the quality of education in the mountainous region.

After more than an hour's journey from the center of Phu Yen commune, battling over 18 km of rough, rocky, steep, and winding dirt roads through the Noong Cop pine forest, we arrived at the center of Suoi To commune. The Suoi To Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary and Secondary School stands out with its yellow paint on a high hill; the classrooms are solidly built; and the kitchen and boarding facilities are neatly and cleanly planned.

Teachers at Suoi To Semi-Boarding Primary and Secondary School apply information technology in their teaching.

Leading us on a tour of the classrooms, Mr. Pham Ngoc Vinh, the school principal, said: "In the 2025-2026 school year, the school will have 1,243 students, 100% of whom are Mong ethnic people. To ensure adequate learning conditions, the school has relocated students in grades 3, 4, and 5 to the central school campus; while students in grades 1 and 2, being younger, will attend classes at eight separate school locations in remote villages. In the boarding area, students receive full support from the government; in addition to tutoring and supplementing students' knowledge, teachers also focus on teaching life skills to help students develop comprehensively."

The school focuses on innovating management methods, guiding and channeling students to develop appropriate teaching plans and compensate for knowledge gaps. Simultaneously, it surveys and categorizes teachers, assigning teachers with strong expertise to support those with limitations in teaching methods and student management. The school administration increases classroom observation and visits to assess teachers' teaching skills and students' learning abilities; it also pays attention to innovating teaching methods, utilizing equipment, materials, and technology in teaching to create enthusiasm for learning among students.

The school maintains emulation movements such as "Teaching well, learning well," "Building a friendly school, active students," and "Every teacher is a role model for students to follow." Currently, the school has 84 staff and teachers; of which, 91.7% of teachers meet the required qualifications; 20 teachers are excellent teachers at the district (formerly) level and 2 teachers are excellent teachers at the provincial level.

A lesson at Suoi To Semi-Boarding Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Suoi To Commune.

In implementing digital transformation in education, staff and teachers have actively participated in training to improve their skills in applying information technology; effectively utilized the digital learning resource library; and proposed investment in infrastructure and equipment to support digital transformation. To date, the school has been equipped with internet access and a computer lab for teaching; teachers apply technology in managing records and students, and use electronic lesson plans, contributing to improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Thanks to the efforts of both teachers and students, the school's educational quality has seen many positive changes. In the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years, at the Science and Technology Competition, the school had one project that won third prize at the district level (formerly), one project that won second prize at the provincial level; one project that won an honorable mention at the Provincial Youth and Children's Innovation Competition; two projects that won honorable mentions at the Provincial Startup Project Competition for junior and senior high school students; one project that won first prize and one project that won second prize at the Provincial Science and Technology Competition for junior and senior high school students. The project that won first prize passed the interview round to participate in the National Science and Technology Competition and was the only junior high school project in the entire province to compete at the national level. At the selection exams for outstanding students in grades 6, 7, and 8, the school won 3 first prizes, 3 second prizes, 3 third prizes, and 3 honorable mentions at various levels. Annually, for primary school level, the percentage of students achieving excellent results is over 25.2%; for secondary school level, the percentage of students with good or excellent conduct is over 98%; and the percentage of students with good or excellent academic performance is over 16.3%.

Preparing school lunch meals for students at Suoi To Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary and Secondary School.

Vang Trong Ta, a student in class 8D, comes from a disadvantaged family. His home is in Suoi Khang village, more than 7 km from the school, so he lives and eats at the school's boarding facility. Thanks to the care and attention of his teachers, he has achieved excellent academic results for the past two years and won first prize with his project "Bringing Literacy to My Mother" at the 2026 Provincial Science and Technology Competition. Ta said: "To study well, I always pay attention in class, actively discuss with teachers, and learn from my friends. Outside of class, I dedicate time to self-study, preparing for new lessons and reading additional reference books to expand my knowledge."

Ta's perseverance in overcoming difficulties, like that of many other students in the mountainous Suoi To region, is further motivated by dedicated and committed teachers. Teacher Vu Thi Thanh Son shared: "My class consists entirely of Mong ethnic students, with uneven levels of knowledge, and many students have limitations in communication and social skills... Therefore, teachers always stay close to them, show concern, provide extra tutoring, and encourage and care for them when they are sick, so that they can focus on their studies."

Alongside teaching, the school's staff and teachers effectively implement the boarding program, ensuring nutrition, food safety and hygiene, and security and order in the dormitory area. The school also maintains extracurricular activities and flag-raising ceremonies with many practical contents on preserving national cultural identity, gender equality, traffic safety, cultural and artistic exchanges, sports , and folk games, attracting a large number of students to participate, contributing to making them love their school and classmates even more.

Bidding farewell to the teachers and students of Suoi To Ethnic Minority Boarding Primary and Secondary School, we gained a deeper understanding of the dedication of the teachers in this mountainous region to the cause of "nurturing future generations." These teachers are working daily to help their students improve their knowledge and excel in their studies, aiming for a better future.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/su-hoc-vung-cao-suoi-to-fOgB5m1Dg.html