Beyond teaching people how to read and write, these classes provide access to knowledge, raise awareness, and improve quality of life, helping participants escape poverty. With literacy, many individuals have gained confidence in communication and integrated better into the community.

Điện Biên is a mountainous and border province where over 83% of the population coming from ethnic minority groups. In remote villages, illiteracy remains a challenge. Recognizing literacy education as a key mission for improving cultural awareness and economic development, the provincial Department of Education and Training has worked with local authorities to establish numerous literacy programs.

Every week, as night falls, lights shine brightly in a Phase 2 literacy class at Tủa Thàng No.1 Primary School, in Tủa Thàng commune, Tủa Chùa district. Unlike typical classrooms, this class consists of 30 Mông students from Phi Giàng I village, located more than 10km from the commune center. The oldest student is over 50 years old, while the youngest is 15. Most are family breadwinners, working by day and attending classes at night. Despite struggling with writing, they are eager to learn.

Mùa Thị Chiêng, a resident of Tủa Thàng, shared: “I could not attend school as a child due to my family’s hardships. Now, my children ask me about letters and numbers, but I could not help them. In 2024, when local officials and teachers organized a literacy class, I signed up. Now, I can read, write, and do basic arithmetic.”

Between 2021 and 2024, the province opened 143 literacy classes with 3,330 students, mainly from ethnic minority groups in disadvantaged areas. Thanks to these efforts, literacy rates have steadily improved. In 2021, 96.58% of people aged 15-60 reached Level 1 literacy; by 2024, this rose to 97.06%. Level 2 literacy among the same age group increased from 86.63% in 2021 to 90.11% in 2024. All 129 communes and 10 districts in the province now maintain Level 2 literacy standards.

By 2025, Điện Biên aims to open 175 literacy classes with 4,015 students, including 29 classes for 671 students in 2025 alone. To encourage participation, the province provides support such as textbooks, school supplies, and financial assistance.

Graduates not only gain literacy skills but also apply them to daily life and economic activities. Many have learned financial planning, joined local organizations, and even guided others in their communities.

Lò Thị Thơm, from Mường Pồn Commune (Điện Biên District), attended a literacy class in 2023. She stated that learning to read and write helped me better manage farming and livestock. She now can apply modern techniques to raise poultry and grow new rice varieties, which has significantly improved her family’s income.

A remarkable example is Thào Thị Pày, a Mông woman from Tỉnh B village, Xá Nhè commune (Tủa Chùa district). Born in 1985, she married early and lived in poverty due to lack of education and farming knowledge. In 2018, after encouragement from local authorities and teachers, she joined a literacy class.

With her newfound skills, Pày pursued economic development. In 2019, she received tree seedlings, funding, and training from district programs. She converted 1 hectare of land into a forest plantation with keo, sa mộc (sa mu - cunninghamia lanceolata), pine, and eucalyptus trees; expanded livestock farming to include 22 pigs, 2 buffaloes, 4 cows, 15 goats, and 300 black chickens; cultivated 1 hectare of corn, 0.5 hectares of rice, a 600m² fish pond, and 1,500sq.m of vegetables. Through this diversified model, her family now earns over VND 150 million per year, escaping poverty and ensuring a stable future.

Literacy classes do more than just teach reading and writing. They create new economic opportunities and empower ethnic minority communities. Many graduates start businesses, increase incomes, and contribute to rural development. This progress enhances both cultural and economic well-being, fostering a brighter future for all.