Ethnic children in Lạng Sơn Province present flowers to Party General Secretary Tô Lâm. VNA/VNS Photos Thống Nhất

LẠNG SƠN — The government on Thursday launched a coordinated ground‑breaking for 121 boarding schools for primary and secondary levels in border communes, part of a wider drive to boost education and national security in remote areas.

The Ministry of Education and Training, together with Vietnam Television, telecommunications groups VNPT and Viettel and authorities from 17 provinces and cities, staged a hybrid ceremony at Đồng Đăng boarding school in Lạng Sơn Province and via online links to other sites.

The move follows a conclusion of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Việt Nam to establish multi‑level boarding schools in border communes and is intended to expand educational access, narrow regional disparities, and bolster national defence and security.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attend the groundbreaking ceremony in Lạng Sơn Province on Thursday morning for 121 multi‑level boarding primary and lower‑secondary schools in border communes nationwide.

The country has 22 provinces and cities with 248 border communes and wards. The plans initially envisaged one boarding school per commune but some localities deemed the model impractical.

This phase covers 121 schools in Cao Bằng, Lạng Sơn, Tuyên Quang, Lào Cai, Lai Châu, Điện Biên, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Trị, Huế, Quảng Ngãi, Đắk Lắk, Lâm Đồng, Tây Ninh, Đồng Tháp and An Giang.

Local authorities have requested about VNĐ30 trillion (about US$1.14 billion) for construction, with the central budget expected to provide around VNĐ28 trillion and local budgets VNĐ2 trillion.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính greet local residents during the groundbreaking ceremony in Lạng Sơn Province on Thursday morning.

The education ministry and Ministry of Finance are reviewing proposals for funding allocation, with a target to complete the projects by August 30, 2027, in time for the 2027‑28 school year.

Ealier, construction on 108 boarding schools in border communes began in 2025 and is due to finish before August 30, 2026.

The education ministry said it has revised institutional frameworks, organisational models and special policies and is arranging resources to ensure the new schools can operate effectively once completed. — VNS