As reported by Lao Dong Newspaper, the record flood in early August 2025 caused heavy damage to many localities in Dien Bien province, in which the education sector was significantly affected, a series of schools were deeply flooded, and facilities were severely damaged.
At Chieng So Boarding Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Muong Luan commune, a large crack appeared on the hill behind the school, with a high risk of landslides. To ensure safety, the school had to relocate 6 2-storey classrooms located near the foot of the hill (Block 8 and Block 9) to temporary school at Muong Luan commune headquarters (old Chieng So commune headquarters).
On December 13, Mr. Nguyen Danh Hy - Principal of Chieng So Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, confirmed: "The work of handling cracks has been implemented. Currently, excavators and cars have arrived at the school area to handle the crack."
To fix the crack, Muong Luan Commune People's Committee will build a nearly 140m long reinforced embankment with a reinforced concrete retaining wall structure of M200. At the same time, the slope will be dug up, the entire weak layer of soil will be removed and a drainage ditch system will be built.
Accordingly, the total investment in the construction of emergency works to overcome the consequences of natural disasters in 2025 to overcome and handle landslides at Chieng So Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities is 5.4 billion VND. Of which, the People's Committee of Dien Bien province has decided to allocate 2.5 billion VND. However, the locality still lacks 2.9 billion VND.
According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Hue - Chairman of Muong Luan Commune People's Committee, the commune is proposing that the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Finance soon consider and arrange additional funding to complete the project, creating favorable conditions for teachers and students to feel secure in teaching.
Previously, the current status of the positive slope behind the 2-storey classroom building, boarding house and kitchen of the school had many long and deep cracks. Not only cracks, there are also recorded phenomena of sliding and moving of the land mass, posing a very high risk of landslides.
The results of the geological survey from the consulting unit said that the soil in this area is very weak, the connectivity is low and is susceptible to saturatation when experiencing heavy rain. In particular, cracks are developing along the hillside, creating the risk of the entire slope sliding down to the school area.
The leader of Muong Luan Commune People's Committee affirmed that digging up weak soil and reinforcing it with concrete embankment structure is mandatory, otherwise the landslide will continue to expand, threatening the entire area.
Before the opening of the 2025-2026 school year, the school had borrowed the headquarters of Muong Luan commune (the headquarters of the old Chieng So commune) to build temporary classrooms (6 classrooms).
The travel distance of nearly 500m from the main school to the old Chieng So commune headquarters caused many difficulties for the school with about 530 students, of which over 300 were boarding students.
Previously, to prevent risks, the school had erected a corrugated iron fence around the dangerous area.
"We have surrounded the area with corrugated iron and strictly prohibited students from entering this area. This fence also has a warning purpose. If a landslide occurs, even at night, rocks and soil falling on the corrugated iron will create a loud sound to alarm, helping teachers and students to evacuate in time" - Mr. Hy explained the solution.
