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A grand groundbreaking ceremony for primary and secondary boarding schools in border communes was held on March 19 morning, with Party General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attending at the main venue in Dong Dang commune, the northern mountainous province of Lang Son.
The hybrid event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), state broadcaster Vietnam Television, telecom giants VNPT and Viettel, and authorities of 17 cities and provinces.
It unfolded at 17 main venues and 104 online sites across Cao Bang, Lang Son, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Hue, Quang Ngai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Tay Ninh, Dong Thap, and An Giang.
The groundbreaking marked a concrete move to follow the Politburo’s conclusion dated July 18, 2025, which approved the policy of investing in constructing schools for border communes. In response, the Government issued a resolution on September 26, 2025 outlining its action plan. Nationwide, 248 boarding schools for primary and secondary levels are planned across 248 mainland border communes.
Delegates at the event watched documentaries and heard reports detailing collaborative efforts to construct these schools in border areas, along with expectations from teachers and students for the new facilities.
PM Chinh, in his speech, recalled that work on 100 inter-level boarding schools began simultaneously on November 9, 2025, raising the total number of schools under construction by the end of 2025 to 108. Of these, one was completed and operational on January 31, 2026.
A similar ceremony launched 121 additional boarding schools in mainland border communes. Combined with the 108 from 2025, the total reaches 229 schools, paving the way for broader educational improvements in 229 border communes.
According to him, the Government and the PM instructed the MoET and local authorities to continue reviewing actual needs and conditions in border areas to proceed with school construction in line with the Politburo’s policy, with potential expansion to special zones featuring island areas.
To ensure that the projects are completed early, put into operation, and deliver their intended benefits, he urged the Acting Minister of Education and Training, heads of relevant ministries and agencies, and especially local Party secretaries and chairpersons to continue swiftly clearing obstacles, and back the projects with the highest resolve. He set a deadline of August 30, 2026 for schools launched in 2025 and August 30, 2027 for those started on March 19. At the same time, the Government is directing the drafting of a decree on the operation, special mechanisms and policies needed to effectively manage and develop this school model.
General Secretary Lam, in his address, said the current school system, particularly inter-level boarding schools in border communes, remains limited. The Politburo's decision to fund 248 such schools across 248 mainland border communes is both strategic and humane, reflecting the Party and State’s special attention to those living in border, remote, and disadvantaged areas.
To meet timelines and ensure quality, readiness for the 2027-2028 school year, Lam urged local Party committees and authorities to treat the projects as an especially important political task during this term, with rigorous oversight, supervision, and monitoring to deliver fast, efficient progress free of corruption, misconduct, or wastefulness.
Local Party committees, authorities, mass organsations, and residents in border communes were asked to sustain support for local education, first and foremost by ensuring that every child can attend school and study in a fully equipped environment.
Schools must serve as true "second homes" for students, providing proper meals, lodging, daily living conditions, hygiene, and food safety to reassure parents, he said.
