Bac Binh Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities: Caring for students' lives and keeping the cultural fire burning

From support policies to a full "home"

Bac Binh Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, located in Binh Tien village, Bac Binh commune, Lam Dong province, is a special educational address.

Established in 1994, the school has become a common home for many generations of ethnic minority students. With a large enrollment area, including the K'ho, Rac Lay, Cham, Tay, Nung, Muong, Hoa ethnic groups... in the difficult communes of Bac Binh district, Binh Thuan province (old), the school's mission does not stop at teaching.

Within the nearly 11,000 m2 campus, there is a journey of comprehensive care – care from meals, sleep, physical health to nurturing and preserving the cultural flame in the soul of each student.

Ms. Lam Lu Nu Bich Thuy, Principal of the school, shared that taking care of boarding students is a delicate task, requiring understanding and sincere love. Most students are away from their families from a very young age, carrying with them homesickness, confusion and cultural and language differences.

"Therefore, the school's top goal is to create a safe, warm, family-like environment. Children come here not only to learn knowledge, but also to be loved, to fully develop their personality and to be proud of their roots," said Ms. Thuy.

Launching ceremony of "Literature - Sports - Arts" club.

One of the key factors that helps students feel secure in studying is the State's attention through special policies and regimes. If previously, students enjoyed the regime according to Circular 109/2009, then starting from 2025, Decree 66/2025/ND-CP will bring more practical and comprehensive support. Accordingly, in addition to being fully equipped with school supplies, books, and clothes, each student also receives a monthly scholarship equivalent to 80% of the basic salary, 15kg of rice/month.

Students graduating from this school not only carry knowledge, but more importantly, carry pride and love for national identity, ready to become excellent citizens, contributing to building their homeland.
Ms. Lam Lu Nu Bich Thuy, Principal of Bac Binh Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities.

This support is used by the school to organize a communal kitchen, ensuring the children have three hot, nutritious meals every day.

Ms. Thuy confided: "Boarding meals are not just a story of a full stomach. It is a guarantee of physical health, a foundation for children to have enough energy to absorb knowledge. We are always aware that taking good care of a meal is also fulfilling our educational responsibility."

The total number of teachers and staff of Bac Binh Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities is 38 people.

The attention does not stop at material. Thanks to the investment from all levels, the school has been repaired and upgraded to be relatively spacious and clean. The areas are arranged reasonably, from the dormitory, dining room to the playground, creating an airy pedagogical landscape, meeting the requirements of educational innovation.

But perhaps the greatest satisfaction that the children receive is the care of their teachers. At boarding school, teachers are both educators and second parents, taking care of the children whenever they have a fever, from a bowl of porridge, a bag of medicine to a glass of lemonade. In addition, teachers also listen to their thoughts, resolve problems and guide their future, helping to dispel their inferiority complex so that they can confidently integrate and develop.

Mission to keep the flame of identity alive

At Bac Binh Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities, teaching general knowledge and preserving national culture are considered two parallel, inseparable tasks. Educating knowledge is a task, but preserving national cultural identity for students is the mission.

The school is a pioneer in building a model of experiential education that integrates national culture systematically and creatively. First is the construction of a "National Culture Corner" - a "living museum" displaying artifacts, costumes, and musical instruments for students to visit and learn.

In the 2025-2026 school year, the school will have 257 students.

In addition, the "Literature-Sports-Arts" Club is where children share customs, practice Cham and Raglai dances or play folk games. The most special highlight is the annual "Ethnic Culture Festival" with camping activities, bamboo-rice cooking competitions, bamboo dancing and costume shows. Ethnic culture is also "permeated" into daily activities such as wearing traditional costumes when saluting the flag, listening to stories about national heroes, or encouraging communication in the mother tongue.

The wonderful cultural exchange here helps students learn to respect differences. To enhance the experience, the school also organizes field trips to traditional craft villages and invites artisans to teach their profession.

Growing up in a "common house"

The clearest proof of the success of this educational model is the cognitive and emotional maturity of the students themselves.

Lu Nguyen Ha Ny, a student of class 8/1, shared that studying and living at the boarding school has brought Ny many meaningful and memorable experiences. From the first days of being confused and worried about being away from her family, Ny has now gradually gotten used to the collective lifestyle, learned to be more independent and felt many good things at this school.

Students participate in activities to preserve national cultural identity.

According to Ny, at boarding school, students are cared for by teachers, from studying to eating and even mentally. Classroom hours are always guided enthusiastically by teachers, helping us understand the lessons and make progress. Evening study is supervised and supported by teachers, helping students form serious and planned study habits.

In addition, the school kitchen always prepares full, nutritious meals, helping each student feel secure in studying and living. Cultural activities, sports , and skill training also help us relax, connect and grow more mature every day.

At boarding school, every day is a new journey for me – a journey of effort, gratitude and maturity. Thanks to the disciplined, safe and loving boarding environment, we find ourselves more mature, knowing how to live in order, knowing how to care for our friends and knowing how to strive for our own goals.

The school organizes experiential activities.

“I hope that I will study better and train better to become a useful person for my family and society. I dream that in the future I can become successful and contribute my small part to building my homeland and country to become more and more beautiful,” Ny confided.

Ha Ny's thoughts are also the pride and motivation for Bac Binh Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities to continue its mission: both a place to train intellectuals and a place to keep the flame of culture alive.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/truong-ptdt-noi-tru-bac-binh-cham-soc-doi-song-va-giu-lua-van-hoa-cho-hoc-sinh-post757068.html