Students gather for lunch at the school in Tuyên Quang Province. Photo: Quang Cường

In the early morning mist of Chiêm Hóa, the fog clings stubbornly to the slopes surrounding the boarding school in the northern mountainous province of Tuyên Quang.

Inside the small kitchen, teachers move briskly, preparing lunch for nearly 500 ethnic minority students. The dining hall is cramped, so meals are served in two shifts: lower-secondary students first, then the upper-secondary ones.

No one complains. The school community has long adapted to the constraints of limited space and resources.

Just a few years ago, this was a different place. The Chiêm Hóa Lower and Upper Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Minority Students was little more than a crumbling, flood-prone campus. Teachers still recall nights when heavy rains turned dormitories into rivers, forcing both staff and students to evacuate under the pounding storm.

Established in 2021 on the decayed foundation of the former Chiêm Hóa District boarding school, the new institution faced immediate hardship. The dormitory and multi-purpose hall were located in a low-lying area near a stream, and each storm threatened to wash classrooms away. Students had to walk to class along a concrete path that was repeatedly eroded by landslides each storm season.

“There were years when we had to evacuate the students twice,” recalled principal Tô Thị Tấm. “Everything was soaked. Teachers stayed awake all night, moving belongings and cleaning. Life turned upside down.”

The devastating floods caused by Typhoon Bualoi, which hit Việt Nam in October, left the entire dormitory and multi-purpose building underwater.

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Văn Chính visited soon after, encouraging teachers and students to be resilient. That visit left a mark: the school community realised that overcoming adversity was not only a responsibility but also a source of pride for a place dedicated to lifting ethnic minority children toward brighter future.

Triumphs against odds

The challenges were severe: overcrowded classrooms, a shortage of staff, insufficient specialised rooms, and a lack of computers. Yet, in these conditions, determination thrived.

Within only a few years, Chiêm Hóa Boarding School achieved what many thought impossible.

In the 2024–2025 academic year, 238 out of 475 students earned ‘excellent’ rankings. The school reached a 100 per cent high school graduation rate, and many students were admitted to top universities, including the People’s Security Academy, Hà Nội University of Science and Technology, Hà Nội Medical University, and Hà Nội National University of Education. The school also won 19 provincial awards in academic competitions.

The Ministry of Education and Training, Tuyên Quang Provincial People’s Committee (the province's administration), and other organisations recognised these achievements with Certificates of Merit.

Students attend an informatics class at Chiêm Hóa Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Students. VNA/VNS Photo Quang Cường

Vũ Văn Dũng, head of the Department of General Education, noted that despite being newly established, the school consistently ranked among the top performers in the province.

“It is one of the highest-scoring high schools in Tuyên Quang and a standout in educating ethnic students,” he said.

Caring hands

All of the school’s 480 students are from ethnic minority communities and live far from home. Teachers therefore act as educators and caregivers, tending to meals, sleep, health, and daily routines.

“Teachers are like second parents to us,” said Lục Thanh Huyền, a 12th grader. “They teach us how to live, how to study and how to grow. I try to work hard so I don’t disappoint them.”

Boarding life is meticulously organised: scheduled study hours, daily routines, talent clubs, and extracurricular activities. Teachers work with parents to monitor nutrition and food safety.

All students at the school are from ethnic communities. VNAVNS Photo Quang Cường

Teacher Nguyễn Thị Thu Hằng said the school was committed to self-study and independent research. This approach helps them absorb and apply new knowledge by tackling learning tasks within each lesson, according to Hằng.

In the classroom, teachers devote significant time to student presentations, discussions, practice activities and the defence of their learning outcomes, thereby fostering greater autonomy and creativity among learners.

The school has modernised its teaching methods by integrating AI, e-learning and digital design tools into daily instruction. It has also established academic clubs in Mathematics, Literature, English and Sports to foster student engagement and talent development.

In addition, the school regularly organises in-depth and inter-school professional workshops, including seminars aimed at eliminating achievement-driven teaching.

Principal Tấm said these reforms helped create a learning environment that encouraged curiosity, creativity, and independent thought.

Entering the 2025–2026 academic year with 480 students and 48 qualified and highly qualified staff, the school has set a new goal: becoming a "happy school", where students feel safe, respected and nurtured.

Its strategic plan focuses on three pillars: investing in teaching equipment and accelerating digital transformation; building a strong, dedicated teaching staff committed to students’ well-being; and enhancing the quality of boarding life and life-skills education.

The school also aims to drive comprehensive reform in ethnic boarding education, ensuring every student is empowered to grow and pursue their aspirations.

Once plagued by floods, landslides, and inadequate classrooms, the Chiêm Hóa Secondary Boarding School for Ethnic Students now stands as a beacon of pride for Tuyên Quang’s education sector.

Its achievements reflect the perseverance of teachers in the highlands and the determination of students who refuse to let hardship limit their dreams. VNS