Although recognised as meeting National Standards Level 1 in 2023, for many academic years, the facilities of Chieng Co Primary and Secondary School in Chieng Coi ward have remained insufficient, particularly in terms of classrooms and functional rooms, affecting the organisation of educational activities. In July 2025, teachers and students welcomed good news as the school received investment for the construction of a three-story classroom building covering more than 400 square metres. The project includes multiple components such as classrooms, functional rooms, a teachers’ lounge, a library, and a semi-boarding kitchen, with a total investment of over 6.4 billion VND (242,931 USD) sourced from the provincial budget.

Tran Thi Khanh Hong, Principal of the school, shared that the contractor is currently focusing on installing electrical and water systems and completing wall painting, with the project expected to be handed over before December 30 this year. The entire staff, teachers, and students are eagerly looking forward to the building being put into use, providing more spacious and well-equipped facilities to support teaching and learning.

Chieng Coi ward has seven public educational institutions with more than 4,000 students, and 100% of the schools organise two sessions of teaching per day. Since the beginning of the school year, the ward Party Committee has established working delegations to inspect and review the facilities of each school, allocating over 800 million VND to build and repair several classroom buildings and to supplement equipment for educational institutions, ensuring effective teaching and learning. After the implementation of the two-level local government model, the ward received two education-related investment projects and has closely directed contractors to ensure progress and quality.

In particularly disadvantaged areas, the appearance of educational facilities has seen many positive changes in recent years. Chieng Dong Secondary School in Yen Chau commune now boasts a green, clean, and beautiful campus and well-invested infrastructure. Principal Nguyen Van Thuan said that in 2023 and 2024, with funding of more than 3.5 billion VND from Project 5 under the National Target Programme 1719, the school repaired and upgraded many facilities, including classrooms, toilets, and campus. Notably, four semi-boarding dormitory rooms were built to meet the living and learning needs of more than 70 Mong ethnic students from the two particularly disadvantaged villages of Suoi Duong and Huoi Chieu, located over 30 km from the centre. As a result, the school has maintained student enrollment and improved teaching and learning quality. To date, it has met National Standards Level 1.

Toward the goal of building a system of schools meeting national standards and the requirements of innovation and integration, in 2025 the province allocated nearly 65 billion VND to build and upgrade school facilities; repair and upgrade 251 classrooms; construct and renovate 51 functional rooms and teachers’ rooms; build nine sanitation works, campuses, and kitchens; and supplement teaching equipment for 99 semi-boarding schools. To date, the proportion of solid and semi-solid classrooms across the province has reached 95.5%.

Director of the provincial Department of Education and Training Nguyen Van Chien reported that the province currently has 572 out of 609 schools meeting the minimum facility standards set by the Ministry of Education and Training. The school network continues to be expanded and standardised. In particular, Son La province has 13 inter-level boarding schools (primary and secondary) under construction in accordance with Conclusion No. 81-KL/TW of the Politburo, with a total investment of over 3.45 trillion VND. These projects are expected to be completed in 2026, meeting the learning and living needs of nearly 20,000 students in border communes.

Alongside the state budget, during the 2020-2025 period, the province mobilised hundreds of billions of VND from businesses, organisations, and individuals to invest in building and repairing schools and supplementing teaching equipment. The provincial education sector aims to ensure that by the end of 2026, 100% of educational institutions will have solid facilities and meet prescribed standards, contributing to the reform of the 2018 General Education Programme, creating momentum for comprehensive and sustainable educational development.