Implementing the policy of arranging the network of public educational institutions according to the direction of the Government, Cao Bang province is developing a plan to streamline school focal points, reduce the number of management units but still ensure that students' learning is not affected.
According to Official Dispatch No. 814/TTg-TCCV dated July 20 of the Prime Minister, localities must review and arrange the preschool education, general education, continuing education and public vocational education systems.
Each commune must ensure at least one preschool education institution and one general education institution with sufficient primary and secondary levels.
The goal is to reduce at least 30% of school branches; localities with favorable conditions can reduce about 50% before August 30, 2026.
Cao Bang is one of the localities that implemented this policy early.
According to the Department of Education and Training of Cao Bang province, in the 2024-2025 school year, the whole province has about 466 educational institutions, including 172 kindergartens, 96 primary schools, 164 secondary schools, 24 high schools and 10 continuing education centers.
Reducing focal points" is understood as reducing the number of schools with legal status and separate management apparatus, which does not mean closing school sites.
After the merger, many facilities continue to operate in the form of branches or school sites, while sharing the same principal and administrative apparatus.
Talking to reporters, a teacher at Lung Man border school point (Duc Hanh Primary and Secondary School) said that according to the plan being informed, the primary school block will be transferred to Coc Pang Primary School, and secondary school students will be concentrated at the main school.
After the merger, the number of principals, vice principals and management staff will decrease, but teaching will still take place normally," this teacher said.
In localities, the arrangement plan is also being completed.
Mr. Dam The Trang - Chairman of Hoa An Commune People's Committee - said that the locality has 13 schools subject to arrangement. Currently, the commune is coordinating with relevant units to complete the plan to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for approval.
Meanwhile, Phuc Hoa border commune plans to reduce from 11 schools to 6 schools, while maintaining the Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School.
According to representatives of the Commune People's Committee, Dai Son Primary School and Dai Son Secondary School are expected to stop operating when the Inter-level Ethnic Minority Boarding School completes construction.
To ensure synchronous arrangement, on July 18, Chairman of Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee Le Hai Hoa issued Official Dispatch No. 2529/UBND-VX on organizing the management model of educational institutions after arrangement.
Accordingly, the Department of Education and Training is assigned to take the lead in building a unified governance model, ensuring streamlined focal points and no intermediate management levels arising.
At the same time, review and restructure the contingent of management officials and public employees according to the principle of reducing management staff, prioritizing teachers directly teaching to the maximum.
The province also requests the transfer of teachers between localities to overcome the situation of surplus in some places and shortage in others, ensuring there is no shortage of classroom teachers in the 2026-2027 school year.
Localities must maintain the stable operation of educational institutions after arrangement, not allowing the reorganization of the school network to affect students' learning rights.
According to the People's Committee of Cao Bang province, the effectiveness of the arrangement will not only be assessed by the reduced number of focal points, but also based on the quality of school governance, the effectiveness of staff use, the quality of education and the level of people's satisfaction.
