Phase 1 covers the construction of 108 schools in 19 provinces and cities. According to the latest report from the Ministry of Education and Training, as of August 23, among the 99 schools funded by the central budget, 41 had reached at least 91% completion, 54 had reached 71-90%, and four had reached 70% or less.

According to Pham Van Sinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Finance under the Ministry of Education and Training, although some schools have not reached their expected construction volume, local authorities are mobilizing maximum resources to basically complete essential facilities by August 30 and ensure that students can begin attending school.

Secondary facilities such as playgrounds, sports grounds, multipurpose gymnasiums and swimming pools can continue to be completed later. However, Pham Van Sinh stressed that progress must go hand in hand with quality, and above all, safety once the schools begin operating.

“If construction continues after the schools are put into use, it may not be safe for students. Therefore, construction work must be carried out in separate areas and completed decisively,” Sinh noted.

The Ministry of Education and Training has asked local authorities to separate construction areas from learning and living areas and prevent students from accessing construction sites while the remaining facilities are being completed.

Putting the 108 multi-level boarding schools into operation in the new school year is not simply a matter of completing construction projects. It also requires ensuring the conditions needed for these schools to operate effectively and sustainably.

To date, five schools have reached 100% completion, including three in An Giang and two in Dak Lak. The Si Pa Phin Primary and Lower Secondary Boarding School in Dien Bien has also been completed and handed over.

Local authorities have committed to ensuring that by the opening day on September 5, all 108 schools will meet the basic conditions needed to welcome students. At 56 schools, however, some construction items will continue to be completed after the school year begins.

Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA)

In Nghe An, which has a large construction workload with 10 schools included in Phase 1, projects are focusing on completing key items to serve the new school year. In Nhon Mai alone, the locality aims to ensure the site is ready for the September 2 opening ceremony, while all 10 projects are targeted for completion before September 30.

Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Thai Van Thanh said the province had mobilized military, police and border guard forces, along with technical personnel, to support construction sites. It is also urgently preparing accommodation, meals and living conditions for students.

Complex terrain and geology, along with shortages of materials and workers, are among the major challenges facing some projects. At the Nhon Mai project, a slope landslide previously occurred, forcing adjustments to the foundation treatment plan and a reorganization of construction activities. Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Trong Hai has requested that relevant units continue to mobilize resources and accelerate progress.

In Da Nang, six schools in A Vuong, Tay Giang, Hung Son, Dac Pring, La Deê and La Êê are also being prioritized for completion before the August 30 deadline. More than 3,000 officials, workers, military personnel and militia members have been mobilized for the projects.

The La Deê Primary and Lower Secondary Boarding School alone has reached more than 85% completion. Several facilities in the primary school section are being prioritized for completion to serve the new school year.

Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Nguyen Manh Hung has requested that departments, agencies and local authorities accelerate progress to ensure the schools are ready for the opening day. Alongside construction, preparations for teachers, equipment, accommodation, meals and school operations must also be carried out in a coordinated manner.

In Lai Chau, while completing infrastructure, five multi-level boarding schools are urgently preparing the conditions needed to begin operations. To date, the schools have enrolled 5,318 out of 5,320 students, reaching 99.96% of the target. Of these, 4,557 are boarding students and 761 are semi-boarding students. The province has assigned 21 school administrators, 281 teachers and 28 staff members.

Mac Quang Dung, Director of the Lai Chau Department of Education and Training, said subject departments, boarding management teams and semi-boarding teams at the new schools were gradually being consolidated. Alongside professional preparations, the schools are developing plans for student management, accommodation, meals and care during their time at school.

Semi-boarding Kitchens Nourish Futures for Children in Dong Thap, Quang Tri Semi-boarding kitchens at Tan Thanh A Kindergarten in Dong Thap and the Pa Ling campus in Quang Tri have recently been handed over, as part of efforts to support the “Nutrition for Poor and Disabled Children” program launched by the Vietnam Red Cross Society. The initiative aims to improve nutrition as well as learning and living conditions for disadvantaged children.

Border Schools Meeting Requirements to Be Inaugurated on September 5 According to the plan of the Ministry of Education and Training, eligible multi-level boarding schools in land-border communes will hold inauguration and handover ceremonies and officially begin operations on the morning of September 5, ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2026-2027 academic year. The Ministry has requested that no inauguration ceremony be held for projects that do not meet the required conditions.