Officials press the inauguration button at the opening ceremony of Thanh Nưa Primary and Secondary Boarding School. — Photos nxbgd.vn

ĐIỆN BIÊN — Students in remote border areas of the northern province Điện Biên have started the new school year in newly built boarding schools, with authorities seeking to give children better access to education and learning resources.

The new primary and lower-secondary boarding schools opened their doors for the first time for the 2026–27 academic year, with opening ceremonies held on September 5.

Alongside new classrooms, boarding facilities and other infrastructure, the schools have received additional learning materials intended to give students opportunities to study beyond their regular lessons.

At Thanh Nưa Primary and Secondary Boarding School, which hosted Dien Bien's main opening ceremony, a delegation from the Ministry of Education and Training led by Deputy Minister Đoàn Trung Kiên and Phạm Vĩnh Thái, editor-in-chief of the Việt Nam Education Publishing House (VEPH) presented reference books worth VNĐ100 million ($3,850) to the school's library.

Thanh Yên and Sam Mứn primary and secondary boarding schools each received books worth VNĐ50 million, bringing the total value of the books donated to the three schools to VNĐ200 million.

For children living in remote border communities, access to books can be particularly valuable.

A reference book can allow students to explore a lesson beyond what is covered in class, while science and literature books can introduce them to subjects, places and ideas outside their immediate surroundings.

The new libraries are also intended to encourage reading and independent study, according to VEPH.

The new schools are part of efforts to improve education in border and disadvantaged areas of Điện Biên Province, where geographical remoteness and difficult living conditions can limit access to educational opportunities.

Deputy Minister Đoàn Trung Kiên presents gifts to outstanding students from disadvantaged backgrounds during the opening ceremony at Thanh Nưa Primary and Secondary Boarding School.

For boarding schools, better education requires more than new buildings. Schools also need qualified and dedicated teachers, suitable educational programmes, adequate living conditions and a sufficient range of learning materials.

The investment in new facilities is aimed at providing students with a more comprehensive environment for both learning and daily life.

The books donated to the schools represent a smaller part of that investment, but they can play an important role in encouraging children to read and learn independently.

Education officials have repeatedly stressed the importance of schools in border areas as places where knowledge, culture and a sense of community can be fostered.

For children growing up in Điện Biên's border communes, the new schools offer more than improved classrooms and accommodation. They also provide greater opportunities to access knowledge and imagine futures beyond their immediate surroundings.

For VEPH, supporting the schools is part of its role as an educational publisher and an effort to expand access to learning materials in disadvantaged communities. — VNS