Viettel receives the Community Action Award for its School Internet Project.

The award recognizes Viettel's nearly two-decade journey of persistently bringing digital connectivity to all educational institutions, especially in rural, mountainous, and island areas – where access to technology was once a major barrier to the learning and development opportunities of the younger generation.

Delegates attending the 2025 Community Action Awards Gala.

The School Internet Project was launched by Viettel in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training in 2008, at a time when the percentage of Vietnamese people with internet access was only about 24%, and less than 1% in rural areas. Tens of thousands of schools at that time lacked internet connectivity, and teachers and students lacked access to digital learning materials, online educational platforms, and modern teaching methods.

Recognizing that investing in education is investing in the country's future, Viettel not only deploys broadband internet infrastructure for schools but also builds a comprehensive digital education ecosystem. This program includes fiber optic connectivity, IT infrastructure—data centers, cloud computing, information security, video conferencing systems, and online learning platforms such as ViettelStudy, K12Online, EduPortal, and SmartLMS.

After 17 years of continuous implementation, the School Internet Project has created a profound social impact. Nearly 40,000 educational institutions, equivalent to 92% of schools nationwide, are connected to the Internet, enabling 25 million students and teachers to access the Internet, contributing to an increase in Vietnam's Internet access rate from 15% to 85%, and directly placing Vietnam among the top 20 countries with the largest number of Internet users in the world.

More importantly, the project has contributed to narrowing the digital divide in education, creating equal learning opportunities across regions. Students in remote areas can study online, participate in exams, and access the national digital learning resource library just like students in urban areas. Teachers are trained in digital skills, gradually innovating teaching methods and improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Lieutenant Colonel Bui Ngoc Diep, Deputy Head of Brand and Communications Department, Viettel Group (second from the left), receives the award at the event.

Lieutenant Colonel Vo Thanh Hai, Head of Brand and Communications Department of Viettel Group, said: “Viettel is not just connecting networks, but is connecting every curious eye, every small dream with a bright future through the School Internet Project. Those students from the highlands of yesteryear are now becoming the direct builders of a prosperous Vietnam – where each person can write their own beautiful story.”

In addition to its far-reaching impact in Vietnam, Viettel's School Internet Project has been expanded to many international markets where the Group invests in telecommunications infrastructure. In countries such as Laos, Cambodia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Burundi, and Peru, Viettel has collaborated with local governments and educational institutions to bring broadband internet to thousands of schools, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

Many models are "localized" to suit the conditions of each country, from infrastructure connectivity and equipment provision to digital skills training for teachers and the development of online learning platforms tailored to local education programs.

The Internet for Schools project helps millions of students in remote and disadvantaged areas gain access to digital knowledge and learning resources.

With a total implementation budget of nearly 2 trillion VND, the School Internet project is not only a social responsibility project but also part of Viettel's sustainable development strategy, linked to the goal of human development, building a digital workforce, and promoting national digital transformation in the education sector.

The project's awarding of the Year prize at the Human Act Prize 2025 affirms the enduring value of an initiative that is based on education, tools for technology, and centered on people. It also reflects Viettel's long-term commitment to building the future, where connectivity extends beyond infrastructure, opening up opportunities, knowledge, and hope for future generations.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Comrade Le Quoc Minh - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, and Head of the Organizing Committee of the Human Act Prize, emphasized: “With the Human Act Prize, the moment of receiving the award is not the end, but the beginning. The award was not created to conclude with a ceremony, but to open a new journey, awakening more actions for the community.”

Ha Linh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/viettel-nhan-giai-thuong-hanh-dong-vi-cong-dong-cho-du-an-internet-truong-hoc-post930913.html