The boarding area of ​​Bù Đốp Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities is ready for the new school year in Thiện Hưng Commune, Đồng Nai Province.— VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — With the new 2025–26 academic year set to begin this Friday, schools across the country — particularly in remote and disadvantaged areas — are racing against time to ensure everything is ready for pupils and teachers to make a fresh start.

In the southern border province of Đồng Nai, local authorities have worked closely with schools to improve infrastructure, making sure facilities meet the basic needs of students in time for the new term.

Despite numerous challenges in the region, significant upgrades have been made to many schools, including new buildings, repairs and essential equipment.

Phước Thiện Primary and Secondary School in Hưng Phước Commune is preparing to welcome more than 870 pupils across 28 classes this year. For the first time, the school’s primary section boasts new toilets, a secure perimeter wall, and a proper front gate — key improvements that mark a significant change from previous years.

Đỗ Văn Long, the school’s principal, explained that outdated infrastructure had been a longstanding concern, particularly the lack of hygienic facilities and secure fencing, which negatively impacted the learning environment. Thanks to timely investment from the local authorities, these issues have now been resolved.

Hưng Phước, like many communes along the border, is home to large ethnic minority communities and families with modest incomes. Yet, education continues to be prioritised, with facilities gradually improved year after year.

Ahead of the new academic year, schools across the province have undertaken a final round of preparations, from cleaning classrooms to trimming trees and creating welcoming, safe campuses for all.

Teacher and pupils at local primary school in A Lưới Commune in Huế City.— VNA/VNS Photo

Supporting disadvantaged pupils

In Huế City, authorities are focusing not only on facilities but also on boosting school attendance among ethnic minority children and those in border regions, helping to remove barriers to education and support local socio-economic development.

Hồng Thủy Primary and Secondary School has one main campus and two satellite sites, serving mostly Pa Cô children from low-income families.

Pupils often have to trek through steep, landslide-prone terrain to reach school.

The principal of the school, Hồ Xuân Tài, said that ensuring pupils have lunch remained the greatest challenge.

Many bring only cold rice or instant noodles and some arrive without food. In such cases, teachers pool money to prepare meals for them.

In previous years, the school received support from the 'Nuôi Em' project, which subsidised lunches at VNĐ7,000 (US$0.26) per child.

Teacher Lê Thị Lan, who has worked at the school for many years, said she was moved by her pupils’ eagerness to learn despite hardship.

Many lunches lacked meat or fish; some children survived on instant noodles.

She often bought food herself to cook for them. She expressed hope that pupils could one day enjoy more nutritious meals, enabling them to attend school more regularly.

Director of the city’s Department of Education and Training Nguyễn Tân said inspections had been carried out across schools, with special attention given to remote areas where ethnic minority children are enrolled.

Schools were also working with parents to encourage attendance, ensuring every child has the necessary textbooks and supplies.

Donations of books had been organised so that all pupils in mountainous areas would be equipped for the year ahead, Tân said.

In the meantime, schools in the northern mountainous province of Lạng Sơn have also drawn up lists of children at risk of dropping out due to poverty.

Teachers have visited families to encourage enrolment and provide financial aid, textbooks and school supplies, helping pupils stay in class.

For those living away from home, schools also teach essential life skills for independent living.

Trà Bình Primary School in the central province of Quảng Ngãi is ready for the new school year after being renovated to be spacious and clean.— VNA/VNS Photo

Professional training

Lạng Sơn Province’s education authorities have proactively arranged staff assignments, training and professional development to equip teachers with confidence for the new school year.

Following the Ministry of Education and Training’s directives, the provincial Department of Education and Training has organised more than 250 training sessions for nearly 13,000 school heads and teachers at all levels.

These sessions focused on integrating digital learning materials, information technology and modern teaching equipment into classrooms.

To keep pace with new developments, the department also introduced a specialist module on the use of artificial intelligence in teaching and school activities.

Thirty-four courses were held, with almost 2,000 core teachers across the province taking part.

Trương Thị Lộng Ngọc, a literature teacher at the Lộc Bình Centre for Vocational and Continuing Education, said that with the rapid growth of science and technology, particularly AI, every teacher must take the initiative to embrace and apply these tools in their lessons.

Doing so, she said, would not only improve classroom quality but also foster students’ independence and active engagement.

Preparations for new textbooks were also completed before the end of the last academic year.

The department confirmed that all schools in the province had now distributed books to pupils.

Director of the provincial department Hoàng Quốc Tuấn said that following recent changes in local government structure, training was provided for all commune-level education officers and schools to ensure effective management.

The province had also accelerated digital transformation, linking information across administrative levels via digital platforms, while strengthening professional clusters of schools to enhance quality from the grassroots level.

Digital platforms such as VnEdu, SMAS and the national education database are now widely used, enabling education managers to monitor schools in real time, provide timely guidance and address emerging issues, according to the director.

Principal of Tam Thanh Secondary School Đặng Tuấn Cường said that under the new administrative model, the school would now come under ward-level management.

As a result, the school had submitted requests for upgraded facilities and digital equipment, enabling it to deliver 7–10 per cent of lessons via e-learning and around 40 per cent on digital platforms.

In remote communes, where local schools were reorganised following administrative mergers, efforts have been made to stabilise facilities.

In the newly formed Vũ Lễ Commune, created from the merger of three former communes, there are nine schools serving more than 2,500 pupils.

Lạng Sơn currently has more than 640 educational institutions, ranging from kindergartens and primary schools to secondary and high schools, ethnic boarding schools, vocational and continuing education centres and a teacher training college, serving around 211,140 students. — VNS