Attending the meeting were Dao Tai Tue, member of the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board and Director of the Department of Construction, along with representatives from relevant departments and agencies.

At the meeting, project investors reported on the implementation progress. Specifically, the provincial Military Command has been assigned to invest in the construction of three combined boarding schools in Chieng Khuong, Muong Leo, and Phieng Pan communes. To date, all three projects have commenced construction; two schools have completed land valuation, origin verification, compensation payments, and land handover. The school in Chieng Khuong commune is finalising valuation and land clearance procedures.

The Agricultural and Rural Development Project Management Board is responsible for five combined boarding schools. The board has submitted project documents to the Department of Construction for feasibility study appraisal, directed geological surveys and drilling, and submitted environmental permit applications. Land inventory, valuation, and clearance are being urgently carried out.

The Civil, Industrial, and Urban Development Project Management Board is investing in two combined boarding schools in Sop Cop and Muong Lan communes. The unit has completed contractor selection, held consultations with affected residents, and agreed on compensation plans, striving to complete all compensation payments before October 30.

The Son La provincial Department of Public Security is the investor for three inter-level boarding schools in Phieng Khoai, Long Sap, and Xuan Nha communes. Compensation plans have been publicly announced, and payments have been made to affected households. Environmental baseline monitoring samples have also been collected.

During the meeting, participants discussed and clarified several difficulties and obstacles, including the risk of total investment costs exceeding approved limits; soil sourcing for site leveling being outside project boundaries with large volumes affecting construction progress; tight project preparation timelines causing delays in documentation and appraisal procedures; and limited road access to many school sites, hindering material transport and construction.

Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairman Tien urged the project investors to uphold a strong sense of responsibility, closely coordinate with relevant departments and local authorities, and focus on accelerating project implementation.

While awaiting project approval, the units are permitted to begin preliminary works such as building worker camps and leveling the ground, with the goal of completing compensation, site clearance, and land handover to contractors by October 30, he said.

For projects with total investments exceeding approved scales, the units must clearly identify the causes, provide detailed reports on each component, and propose appropriate solutions in accordance with regulations, he added.