Urgently complete 100 boarding schools in border regions

18 provinces and cities need to accelerate progress for 100 ethnic boarding schools in border areas to welcome students this academic year.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong made this call last week at a conference on building inter-level boarding schools in border communes.

These 100 ethnic boarding schools have begun construction in 18 localities. All provinces and cities have committed to completing and operating these schools for the 2026-2027 academic year. Some areas aim for earlier completion.

According to Mr. Thuong, provinces and cities must urgently review and assess each project's progress. They need to proactively plan to compensate for any delays and mobilize local resources to finish on schedule. Localities committed to completing construction before 30/8 must present specific, feasible roadmaps and solutions, especially given the tight timeline and difficult construction conditions.

Beyond construction, localities must also prepare teaching staff, employees, and plans for student enrollment and placement. This ensures the effective use of the facilities immediately upon operation.

Ensuring funding for these projects is a key challenge. According to Tran Thanh Dam, Director of the Planning and Finance Department, relevant parties have proposed capital allocation plans to maintain construction progress. This is crucial amid fluctuating material prices and increased investment costs compared to initial estimates.

The initiative to build these schools stems from a Politburo decision last July. The Politburo advocated for building 248 schools in border communes, seeing this as a key task for socio-economic development, improving public knowledge, creating a source of ethnic cadres, and strengthening national defense and security. The initial phase focuses on 100 schools, which will serve as model projects for replication over the next two to three years.

These schools require substantial investment and must meet specific technical and area standards. Each facility will span 5 to 10 hectares, accommodate approximately 30 classes, equivalent to 1,000 students, and ensure full connectivity to electricity, clean water, drainage, transportation, and telecommunications infrastructure.

Flexibility in design is allowed for diverse border conditions. In communes with fragmented terrain, sparse populations, or limited land, school areas may be smaller, and student capacity below 1,000. Conversely, in densely populated areas, the scale may exceed 30 classes, potentially serving over 1,000 students.

One such project is a 220 billion VND boarding school situated on the Vietnam-Laos border.