Once a collection of temporary, deteriorating classrooms, the school has been transformed into a spacious and modern campus through a shared sense of responsibility and a desire for change, ultimately creating a significantly improved learning environment for highland children.

Established in 2009, Khong Hin Kindergarten began as a modest set of temporary structures dedicated to the care and education of local ethnic minority children. The lack of resources and makeshift facilities made the daily educational path of both teachers and students incredibly difficult. Having worked at the school since 2012, Cà Thị Thiện, now Vice Principal, vividly remembers those early days of hardship when narrow rooms with tin roofs were sweltering in the summer and freezing in the winter. She recalls how the roar of rain on the metal roofs would drown out her lessons while the deteriorating latrines and lack of toys posed safety risks. These challenges, however, only served to forge a stronger determination among the highland teachers to remain dedicated to their profession.

The collective dream of a standardized school reached a pivotal turning point during the 2024-2025 school year. After witnessing the severe shortages firsthand, the Vinschool Joint Stock Company decided to provide the necessary funding for a total reconstruction. Securing land for a school in the highlands is a significant hurdle, which is why the school’s faculty prioritized land mobilization as a core task. By June 2024, they successfully worked with local leaders and the community to expand the school’s footprint, mobilizing land and labor worth a total of VND 270 million.

To keep the project on schedule, teachers actively participated in dismantling old classrooms and moving equipment, while villagers contributed whatever they could, some donated land, while others provided sand, stone, and manual labor to build a cleaner, more beautiful central school site. Designed by the 1+1>2 International Architecture and Construction Joint Stock Company, and bolstered by the labor and materials of parents and the community, the new school was officially inaugurated in January 2025. Spanning nearly 1,000 square meters, the modern campus now features six permanent classrooms, two administrative rooms, a kitchen and dining area, two faculty housing units, and separate modern sanitation systems for teachers and students, all complemented by a synchronized playground and sports infrastructure.

The realization of this modern facility was made possible through a synergy of diverse resources. The Vinschool Joint Stock Company sponsored over VND 4.5 billion for the construction, while the former Tuần Giáo district People’s Committee contributed an additional VND 2 billion for leveling, stone embankments, utilities, and fencing. The local government and residents of the former Mường Khong commune provided land and labor valued at VND 270 million, while parents donated thousands of bricks and contributed over 1,700 workdays. Numerous charitable organizations and individuals have also continued to support the school by providing modern equipment to complete the facility.

Nguyễn Thị Yến, Principal of Khong Hin Kindergarten, expressed deep emotion when showcasing the new campus, describing it as a long-held dream where children can finally learn and play in a safe, beautiful environment. Đỗ Văn Sơn, Chairman of the Chiềng Sinh commune People’s Committee, affirmed that this achievement is a clear result of multifaceted cooperation, where the precious support of benefactors met the dedication of teachers and the consensus of parents. This project does more than just meet teaching requirements; it fosters a friendly educational environment that opens up better development opportunities for highland children.

The new school has successfully built deep trust with parents, resulting in student attendance rates consistently maintaining between 95% and 98%. Nutritious boarding meals combined with vivid lessons and modern equipment have helped children develop more comprehensively in both physical and mental aspects. These tireless efforts in infrastructure development and educational quality improvement have been formally recognized, with the school being certified as meeting National Standard Level 1 and Quality Level 2 according to the regulations of the education sector and the provincial People’s Committee.

The journey from temporary shacks to a modern facility is a testament to the enduring efforts of everyone involved, especially the teachers who have stayed loyal to their vocation day and night. Building Khong Hin Kindergarten to national standards is not just about a physical structure; it is about opening a door to a brighter future where the dreams of highland children are given wings through the shared hands of the community.