The journey from hardship to comprehensive achievement
Compared to many other localities, Dien Bien education was laid down quite late. After 1945, responding to President Ho Chi Minh's "Popular Education" movement, the work of eliminating illiteracy was widely deployed. However, it was not until after Dien Bien was liberated (1954), along with the construction of the socialist North, that the province's education gradually took shape. In the early years, the image of literate Dien Bien Phu soldiers staying in the locality, volunteering to go to each village to teach people to read and write became a deep impression.
When Lai Chau Education Department (now Dien Bien Education and Training Department) was established in 1963, the facilities and teaching staff were extremely lacking. Teachers and students both taught and participated in the fight against the war of destruction in the North. After the country's reunification, especially since 2004 when the province was divided, Dien Bien faced many challenges: low student mobilization rate, lack of and unsynchronized teaching staff, and outdated facilities.
With the motto "Education is the top national policy", the province has issued many specific policies and mechanisms, and built an education development strategy through each stage. As a result, up to now, the school network covers 100% of communes and villages; the whole province has 484 schools/centers with more than 211,000 students. Preschool, primary, secondary, high school and continuing education levels have maintained the rate of mobilizing students of the right age to meet and exceed the plan. In the 2024-2025 school year, the mobilization rate of 3-5 year old children will reach nearly 100%; 6-10 year old students will attend primary school at 99.91%; 15-18 year old students will attend high school and equivalent at more than 80%.
The quality of education has been gradually improved. Preschool education has implemented 100% of the 2-session/day program; primary, secondary and high school education have effectively implemented the 2018 General Education Program, focusing on enhancing Vietnamese for ethnic minority students, promoting STEM education, and applying information technology.
Achievements in training excellent students are a bright spot: In the 2024-2025 school year, the province won 22 national prizes, including 1 first prize; provincial and national science and technology competitions won many high prizes. The high school graduation rate according to the 2018 General Education Program reached 99.82%. Universal education and literacy work has been maintained firmly, the whole province has met the standards for universal primary and secondary education level 3; level 2 illiteracy eradication, exceeding the target of the Provincial Party Congress Resolution 1 year early. The team of managers and teachers has been standardized, more than 9,700 party members work in the industry, there are no more educational institutions with "no" party members.
Enhancing education in border areas and integration
Dien Bien has built a system of boarding, semi-boarding, and specialized schools for ethnic minorities, ensuring learning opportunities for ethnic minority students in remote areas. The socialization of education has achieved positive results: In the 2024-2025 school year, the sector mobilized more than 139.7 billion VND from organizations and individuals to build and repair classrooms, accommodation, sanitation facilities, playgrounds, purchase teaching equipment, and award scholarships to students.
Significant investment has been made in school facilities, with the proportion of solid classrooms in the entire sector reaching over 77%, and 100% at the high school level. However, the need for solidification is still huge: in the 2026-2030 period, 3,605 additional classrooms are needed with a budget of nearly VND 1,924 billion.
The Education sector also promotes international cooperation, implementing human resource training programs with the provinces of Northern Laos, Yunnan (China), and Northern Thailand; receiving and training Lao students, and sending students and staff to study in other countries.
Applying information technology and digital transformation has become a key task: more than 2,000 electronic lectures have been developed; the rate of teaching sessions applying IT has been maintained at over 80%; 100% of educational institutions have connected data according to Project 06. Teaching IT and popularizing digital skills has been implemented from primary to high school, associated with the activities of the Community Digital Technology Group in localities.
Difficulties still exist and determination to rise up
In addition to the achievements, Dien Bien education still faces many challenges. The mountainous and border areas and difficult transportation make it difficult to mobilize and maintain student numbers in some places. The ratio of solid classrooms and accommodation at preschool, primary and secondary levels is still low; many schools have to operate two shifts and lack functional rooms.
The sector still lacks nearly 1,400 teachers, concentrated in preschool and primary schools; some new subjects of the 2018 General Education Program such as English, Information Technology, and Arts are seriously lacking teachers. Although investment in education is prioritized, it does not meet the needs of consolidating schools and purchasing minimum equipment.
In the coming time, the Dien Bien Education sector aims to continue comprehensive innovation, improve the quality of staff, develop a reasonable network of schools, consolidate facilities, and ensure equality in access to education. With the motto "Democracy - Solidarity - Discipline - Creativity", teachers and students of the whole sector are determined to overcome difficulties, contribute to the socio-economic development and maintain national defense and security in the Northwestern border region of the Fatherland.
Overview of Dien Bien education
- Date of establishment of educational management agency: June 1, 1963 (Lai Chau Education Department, now Dien Bien Department of Education and Training).
- Current network: 484 schools/centers, more than 211,000 students.
- Special school system: 9 high schools for ethnic minority boarding; many semi-boarding schools and specialized schools.
- Universalization and eradication of illiteracy: Maintain the standard of universalization of primary and secondary education level 3, eradication of illiteracy level 2; 100% of communes and districts meet the standard.
- Staff: More than 16,100 officers, teachers, and employees; 100% of managers meet standards, 82.8% of teachers meet standards or higher.
- Facilities: 7,375 classrooms (77.26% solid); the rate of solid high school classrooms is 100%.
- Excellent student achievements: More than 200 students have won national prizes from 2004 to present; in the 2024-2025 school year alone, they won 22 national prizes (1 First prize).
- International cooperation: Training and fostering human resources with the provinces of Northern Laos, Yunnan (China), Northern Thailand; receiving Lao students to study in Dien Bien.
- Socialization: In the 2024-2025 school year, about 139.7 billion VND will be mobilized from organizations and individuals for school construction, equipment and scholarships.
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/giao-duc-dien-bien-vung-buoc-tu-gian-kho-post743351.html
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