In the cold of early winter in the border area of Lao Cai, the laughter of teachers and students blends with the sound of excavators opening the foundation of the new project.
At the land that is being leveled, Ly Seo Lu - a 3rd grade student at A Lu Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities (Y Ty commune) held her mother's hand and stood watching the groundbreaking ceremony for the new school.
Under a thin jacket, the boy looked at the future classrooms with excited eyes. "The old school is very small, the rain is leaky, sometimes we have to study. I hope the new school will soon be completed so that the classrooms will be wider, with new boards and cleaner toilets, Lu said in a whispering voice.
Lu's father, Ly Seo Vang, shared: "In this area, the roads are difficult to travel, the school is makeshift. As adults, we just hope our children have a safe place to study, not to have to run around. Now that the new school has started construction, everyone is excited.
That expectation comes from the heavy damage that natural disasters have caused to Lao Cai in the past two years. Many schools were severely damaged by landslides, floods, and flooding, causing the learning of students in border areas to be interrupted. Although it has received investment attention, many facilities are still temporary and do not ensure teaching and learning conditions.
During the actual survey, the Border Guard Command of Lao Cai province and local authorities selected favorable locations, ensuring safety and suitable for planning to propose the Border Guard Command to support the construction of 6 new schools, including: Chu Lin school, A Lu Ethnic Boarding Primary and Secondary School, Y Ty commune; Same Lung School, Ta Gia Khau Primary and Secondary Ethnic Boarding School, Pha Long commune; Xa Khai Tung kindergarten, Ta Ngai Cho kindergarten, Pha Long commune; Sin Chai kindergarten, Pha Long kindergarten, Pha Long commune; Su Ma Tung kindergarten, Ta Ngai Cho kindergarten, Pha Long commune; Seo Phin Than kindergarten, Coc My kindergarten, Trinh Tuong commune.
The total value of the projects is more than 13.7 billion VND; the construction period is from November 29, 2025 to mid-2026.
Major General Vu Quoc An - Deputy Political Commissar of the Border Guard emphasized: "The construction of the new school has profound humanitarian significance, demonstrating the spirit of "mutual love", "the healthy leaves cover the torn leaves" of the people of the whole country towards the border. When there are better learning conditions, children will feel secure going to class, contributing to stabilizing the population and maintaining the border.
Teacher Vang Thi Dinh, who is teaching at Xa Khai Tung school, Ta Ngai Cho Kindergarten, Pha Long commune, was moved: "We have been teaching in poor conditions for many years, many days the wind has pushed back through the cliff, causing teachers and students to wear extra shirts but still feel cold. Hearing the news of a new school, everyone was excited. They will have solid classrooms, no need to learn to mix or worry about landslides anymore.
The excitement also spread to ethnic minorities in the border area. Groups of people lingered to see the land that would become a new school in just a few months.
Amidst the fog of the mountains and forests, a sense of warmth spreads, the hope for a more fulfilling and safer time is gradually taking shape.
For teachers and students at the Fatherland's fence, today's joy comes not only from the first bricks placed, but also from the sharing and cooperation of the whole country, helping the journey of sowing words in the border to be more persistent and steady.
