Newly-built Nậm Pì Kindergarten is ready for the new school year in Nậm Pì Commune, Nậm Nhùn District in the northern mountainous province of Lai Châu. —NA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Oanh

HÀ NỘI — With just a week remaining before the start of the new academic year, local authorities and schools are racing to complete final preparations to welcome students back, bringing joy and excitement to both teachers and pupils on the nationwide school enrollment day.

In Lai Châu Province, Nậm Pì Semi-boarding Ethnic Primary School in Nậm Pì Commune, Nậm Nhùn District, has been handed over ten newly-built classrooms and a dormitory block, along with a new kitchen with a total investment of VNĐ28.6 billion (US$1.14 million).

Bùi Văn Nhiệt, the school’s principal, said: "Both teachers and students are very excited to work and learn in these well-equipped facilities, which have resolved previous issues related to accommodation and dining."

Teachers are currently busy cleaning and organising everything to ensure a tidy and welcoming environment for the students' return on the first day of the schoolyear.

Similarly, the central campus of Nậm Pì Kindergarten has received a two-storey building to be ready for the new academic year.

Hoàng Thị Khởi, the principal of the school, said that teachers and parents were delighted, as the children would now learn in new and modern classrooms.

The school had nine campuses across various villages in the district, with only one remaining as a prefab structure.

So, she hopes that this final campus would soon receive the necessary investment to be fully developed.

Trần Quang Tráng, deputy head of the district's Education and Training Office said that the office had received 13 projects for new construction and renovations funded by the district and provincial budgets in the new school year. They consisted of six new buildings and seven renovation projects.

The office reviewed the essential needs of schools to prepare for the new academic year, he said.

It also proactively purchased necessary teaching equipment.

Additionally, the office was collaborating with local authorities to encourage the community to buy textbooks and educational materials, ensuring the provision for boarding students when they return to school.

A classroom at the newly-built Nậm Xe Primary School is ready to welcome students in the new school year in Phong Thổ District in the northern mountainous province of Lai Châu. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Oanh

In Phong Thổ District, many schools are also seeing new buildings or renovations of classrooms, administrative offices and dormitories.

Trần Viết Điệp, director of the Phong Thổ District Project Management Board said the unit was managing 18 projects to improve school facilities across the district, with a total funding of nearly VNĐ140 billion ($5.62 million), from a variety of sources.

Nine projects were completed and handed over for the previous academic year so far, while three had been completed at the start of the 2024-25 academic year, he said.

The remaining projects were expected to be finished on or ahead of schedule.

For the upcoming school year, the province's education sector is preparing for 335 schools, 5,206 classes and 150,389 students.

Nghiêm Thị Kim Huê, deputy director of the province’s Education and Training Department, said that 175 classrooms and 167 ancillary facilities, including dining halls, toilets, playgrounds and sports areas, were repaired to be ready for the new school year.

The department was also implementing the procurement process for essential teaching equipment for grades 5, 9 and 12, as well as supplementary equipment for other grades.

Ethnic boarding schools were speeding up the procurement of teaching materials, textbooks and initial equipment for boarding students.

“Efforts are being made to ensure all students have the necessary textbooks at the start of the new school year,” she said.

Currently, the province is short of 972 teachers across various educational levels.

To address the shortage, particularly in English, IT, art and music, the department is reviewing and adjusting the size of schools and classes to better match local needs, recruiting and training the required number of teachers for the subjects.

Teachers prepare textbooks for the new school year at Tả Lèng Secondary School in the northern mountainous province of Lai Châu. —NA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Oanh

In the meantime, in Sơn La Province, preparations are also underway at Võ Thị Sáu Kindergarten in Chiềng Pha Commune, Thuận Châu District.

The school's campus is being upgraded to be greener, cleaner and more beautiful.

Vì Thị Nguyệt, the principal of the school said for the 2024-25 academic year, the school would have 15 classes with 504 students.

“Thanks to the State support, the school has received investment for a new two-storey classroom building with eight rooms and additional facilities, including a paved playground, fencing and drainage, with a total value of over VNĐ8 billion ($321,300)."

Since early August, the school had mobilised teachers to clean, decorate classrooms and prepare the boarding kitchen to ensure all conditions are met for the students' arrival.

The provincial Education and Training Department said that eight construction projects had been completed at the provincial Ethnic Boarding School and ethnic boarding schools in Vân Hồ, Quỳnh Nhai, Mường La, Yên Châu, and Thuận Châu districts, as well as Mộc Lỵ High School and Co Mạ High School.

The department had secured VNĐ1.6 billion ($64,000) from social contributions to renovate and build 11 classrooms and an administrative office for Mường Lầm High School in Sông Mã District.

Additionally, over VNĐ400 billion ($16 million) were invested from different funding sources to build and repair hundreds of classrooms, boarding kitchens, student housing and ancillary facilities in the province.

Nguyễn Ngọc Quang, deputy director of the provincial Education and Training Department, said preparations for school facilities across the province were proceeding according to plan.

The department directed its units to invest in facilities for the new school year, using both social contributions, and local and provincial budgets.

At the end of July, due to the impact of typhoon Prapiroon, several kindergartens, primary and secondary schools in Sơn La City, Mai Sơn, Bắc Yên and Sông Mã districts, were affected.

In Mai Sơn District only, flash floods inundated 19 classrooms, functional rooms, administrative offices and dormitories at Chiềng Nơi Primary School.

Additionally, a suspension bridge leading to Huổi Sàng campus of the school was swept away by the floods, making it difficult for 205 students to reach the school.

Currently, recovery efforts are being made by the education sector, with appeals for donations of textbooks, notebooks and educational supplies and encouragement for students to attend school in the new school year.

Hà Minh Công, the principal of Chiềng Nơi Primary School, said that the damage at the central campus was largely repaired so far.

The school received support and donations from various organisations and charitable groups, providing clothing, textbooks, blankets and other personal items.

Meanwhile, in Phù Yên District, there are 63 schools with over 35,000 students in the new school year.

Lường Thị Thắm, head of office said the district received over VNĐ22 billion ($884,000) for new construction and repairs of classrooms, specialist rooms, administrative areas and for purchasing educational equipment and materials for schools in Đá Đỏ, Mường Bang, Tường Tiến, Mường Do, Tường Phong and Suối Tọ communes in the new school year.

“At present, all schools meet the necessary conditions for facilities and are ready for the new academic year,” she said. — VNS