As of end-July 2025, 437 out of 596 schools in Son La had met national standards, accounting for 73.3%. Of these, 321 were certified at level 1 and 116 at level 2, exceeding the target set by the 15th provincial Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term by 3%. In the 2024-2025 school year alone, 43 schools were recognised as meeting the standards.

Infrastructure has been a key focus. Since 2024, the Department of Education and Training has mobilised multiple funding sources, pouring more than 65 billion VND (2.4 million USD) into building and repairing 251 classrooms, upgrading 76 staff housing units, restrooms and functional rooms, and equipping 99 schools with additional teaching facilities. Currently, 95% of classrooms in the province are permanent or semi-permanent, basically meeting the requirement for two teaching sessions per day.

Alongside infrastructure, teacher and staff qualification standards have been prioritised. Son La currently has over 23,500 managers and teachers, with more than 84% meeting or exceeding national qualification requirements.

Nguyen Thi Thuy Hanh, Vice Principal of Chieng Ly Primary School in Thuan Chau commune, said the school administration has supported teachers in joining professional training courses to align with the 2018 general education curriculum. At present, all staff and teachers at the school hold at least a university degree. Since 2022, the school has maintained level-2 national standard status and consistently ranks among the top in education quality in the commune.

National-standard certification also serves as a foundation for building a modern, holistic education environment where students can learn and train in safe and friendly spaces, and teachers are encouraged to innovate in their teaching methods.

A case in point is Son La High School for the Gifted, which holds level-2 national standard status and level-3 accreditation in education quality. The school boasts upgraded facilities with multiple modern functional rooms, and a teaching staff that includes one PhD holder, 44 with master’s degrees, and 49 with university degrees.

Dang Phuong Anh, an 11th-grade math student at Son La High School for the Gifted, said the campus is green, clean and safe, with dedicated and highly qualified teachers. Classrooms are equipped with Wi-Fi, televisions and modern facilities such as a digital library and smart classrooms, creating what she described as an ideal environment to develop skills and achieve strong academic results.

Despite the progress, Son La still faces hurdles in building national-standard schools. Many schools in mountainous areas lack adequate facilities, with scattered satellite campuses complicating investment and management. Funding and social mobilisation remain limited, transport infrastructure is underdeveloped, and frequent natural disasters damage school facilities.

Nguyen Van Chien, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training, said the province aims to have at least 30 more schools certified as national-standard in the 2025-2026 academic year. The department will review and reorganise the school network to gradually reduce scattered satellite campuses, while channeling funds from national target programmes, community contributions and investment from different economic sectors into facilities and teaching equipment. It also plans to improve teacher quality, promote innovative teaching methods, and link national-standard school building with the “happy school” model to ensure both sustainability and practicality.

With this approach, the provincial education sector is working to overcome challenges, enhance school quality, and lay a stronger foundation for a modern, holistic education system.