On the morning of March 19, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the groundbreaking ceremony of Xuan Truong Inter-level Boarding Primary and Secondary School in Xuan Truong commune, Cao Bang province - one of the border areas with many difficulties in learning conditions.
Also attending the ceremony were representatives of leaders of many central ministries, branches and local authorities.
Cao Bang currently has 21 border communes, with dispersed populations, remote traffic, and many remote schools lacking facilities.
In that context, the multi-level boarding school model is considered a fundamental solution to focus students, reduce the pressure of teacher shortage, and gradually improve the quality of education in specialized areas.
According to the 2025-2026 plan, the province aims to build 10 boarding schools in border communes, with a total investment of nearly 3,000 billion VND, expected to be completed in 2027.
The works are designed synchronously on an area of 5-6 hectares, including classrooms, dormitories, dining rooms and common living spaces, meeting a scale of about 1,000 students per school.
Xuan Truong Inter-level Boarding School is built in Lung Lac, with a scale of 27 classes, serving about 925 students, with a total investment of 283 billion VND.
Mr. Trieu Van Tinh (Cap Can hamlet, Xuan Truong commune) said that his eldest daughter is studying in a boarding house 8km from home, and can only return on weekends. The construction of a new school will help local students have better living and studying conditions.
Xuan Truong Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School currently has more than 300 students, mainly children of ethnic minorities. Many remote school sites are 6-10km away, making travel difficult and affecting knowledge absorption.
The new school will help stabilize learning, strengthen management and support students, and create favorable conditions for teachers.
For students, this is a big expectation. Many students hope to stay in boarding houses, not have to go far, and have better learning conditions.
Cao Bang province has more than 500 educational institutions, but there are still many difficulties: scattered school sites, unsynchronized facilities, shortage of teachers, and people's lives are still difficult. This puts some students at risk of dropping out of school.
The province is implementing investment in a boarding school system in border communes, starting construction of many new schools, including Xuan Truong and 9 other schools.
The project in Xuan Truong is also part of a total of 229 boarding schools in 248 border communes in 17 provinces and cities across the country, according to the policy approved by the Politburo in July 2025.
The total budget for this program is estimated at about 55.7 trillion VND, of which the central budget accounts for the majority.
Schools are expected to operate from the 2027-2028 school year, contributing to improving people's knowledge, creating local human resources, especially the contingent of ethnic minority officials.
Furthermore, this is also a strategic solution to improve people's lives, while strengthening national defense and security in border areas.
On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son also visited and presented gifts to officers and soldiers of Xuan Truong Border Guard Station.
