In 1986, as the country embarked on a comprehensive renewal process, education in Điện Biên (then part of the old Lai Châu province) maintained its system of schools and a continuously trained and supplemented teaching staff, with student numbers at all levels increasing to over 52,000. However, the education and training sector still faced countless difficulties and shortages; schools did not cover all communes and villages, and the rates of illiteracy and out-of-school children were high.

Looking back over 40 years, Điện Biên’s education and training sector has undergone a remarkable transformation. By the 2025 - 2026 school year, the entire province has 481 public schools and centers, bringing education to all communes and villages, with approximately 7,400 classes and nearly 207,000 students and trainees. The provincial education sector employs over 16,000 civil servants, public employees, and workers, including over 12,400 teachers and lecturers. The enrollment rates for children of all age groups have surpassed the assigned targets. Specifically, 99.89% of 3-5-year-olds attend kindergarten, 99.93% of 5-year-olds attend class, 99.96% of 6-year-olds enter first grade, 99.91% of 11-year-olds enter sixth grade, and 80.47% of 15-18-year-olds attend high school or equivalent...

The entire province continues to maintain and improve its results in achieving universal preschool education for 5-year-olds and level 2 literacy. Điện Biên has been recognized by the Ministry of Education and Training as meeting the standards for universal primary education at level 3 and lower secondary education at level 3. Additionally, 382 out of 463 preschools and general education schools have met national standards, an achievement of 82.51%.

The education and training sector has focused on synchronously implementing solutions to improve the quality of child care and education, general education, and continuing education. The province’s high school graduation rate in 2025 reached 99.53%. Education for gifted students has also seen many achievements. At the 2024 - 2025 national excellent student competition for high schoolers, Điện Biên won 22 prizes, the first time the province won awards in 100% of the subjects it competed in. It was also the first time the province won a first prize in Biology, and the second prizes in Mathematics, Informatics, and Geography were won by students competing above their grade level. Điện Biên is considered by the Ministry of Education and Training to be one of the leading provinces in innovating the general education curriculum.

Today’s educational achievements are the result of a 40-year process of effort and perseverance in overcoming difficulties. With its unique geographical challenges, Điện Biên is a province with many hardships, but it is precisely these challenges that have prompted the education sector to find new paths. In particular, the “proactive, pioneering” mindset in popularizing digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) for teachers and students has affirmed a strong determination to innovate education.

In the 2020 - 2023 period, digital transformation in Điện Biên’s education sector mainly focused on infrastructure, such as bringing high-speed internet and wifi to 100% of schools and equipping them with over 12,300 computers for management and teaching. From 2025, the goal has advanced a step further: integrating AI into teaching, management, and learning. In 2025, the Department of Education and Training proactively coordinated with organizations to implement several pilot AI activities in schools. Notably, the "AI Festival" trained and guided 100% of the province’s management officials and teachers on applying AI to support management, teaching, and assessment. This has helped officials and teachers learn how to design lessons using AI technology and apply AI to personalize teaching, thereby forming a smart education system. According to the plan, Điện Biên’s education sector aims for its level of science, technology, and innovation application to be at a “good” level or higher compared to the rest of the country by 2030.

Ms. Hoàng Tuyết Ban, Director of the Department of Education and Training, affirmed: “The education sector is focused on directing and implementing the application of information technology in performing its tasks. This has gradually shifted teaching methods from traditional to modern and active; helping both teachers and learners to promote their abilities for thinking, creativity, proactivity, and achieving efficiency. Applying technology not only improves the quality of education but also saves time, allowing educators more time for their professional work and for paying closer attention to students.”

The application of AI in teaching has been implemented methodically, synchronously, and widely, gradually changing the face of the province’s education. At Thanh An Secondary School (in Thanh An commune), 100% of teachers actively apply AI in their duties, from managing lists and student information to designing vivid and engaging lessons and analyzing each student’s abilities to suggest suitable learning paths. Teacher Bùi Tiến Phong, the school’s principal, said: “Through training activities and support, our school’s officials and teachers have learned how to use and apply AI in teaching and professional tasks effectively, creating a flexible learning environment for students that stimulates their curiosity and exploration.”

The 40-year journey has witnessed the remarkable transformation of Điện Biên’s education and training sector. From a difficult starting point, with a spirit of proactivity and creativity, the sector has not only built a solid educational foundation but has also boldly embraced the trends of the era, especially the digital technology and artificial intelligence revolution. These pioneering steps are not only a solution to the problem of improving education quality in a mountainous province but also affirm a strategic vision and a strong desire to rise.