Aiming to narrow the gap in learning conditions between border areas and central regions, the Party and State have prioritized investment in building inter-level boarding schools in 248 land border communes across the country. The Primary and Secondary Inter-level School in Si Pa Phìn commune (Điện Biên province) was the first project to commence in the country, initiating a series of large-scale school projects in land border areas. Subsequently, in the province, 3 inter-level schools in the communes of Núa Ngam, Nà Bủng, and Sam Mứn commenced construction on November 2. By November 9, Điện Biên province simultaneously commenced construction of 6 additional Primary and Secondary Inter-level Schools in border communes. This is an important step in the strategy for educational development in disadvantaged areas, creating better learning opportunities for ethnic minority students in border regions.

Along with the border communes that have commenced construction, the remaining localities are currently actively selecting sites and devising plans to be ready for building Primary and Secondary Inter-level Schools in their areas. The preparation for investment and construction of the Primary and Secondary Inter-level School in Mường Nhé commune has received special attention from local authorities and residents. In particular, the problem regarding land funds and student selection plans is being carefully considered by the commune party committee and authorities.

Nguyễn Văn Úy, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Mường Nhé commune, stated: The commune is studying two options for the site to submit to specialized agencies for consideration. The first option is to use the reserve land fund of the old district, located behind the Mường Nhé Ethnic Boarding High School area, near the old stadium location and the land near the Mường Nhé Forest Ranger Station. This area is about 3.8ha; although the area is not yet sufficient, we plan to expand it, combine it with the shared use of the stadium, and design 2 separate gates, one for the boarding area and one for the school area. The second option is to move to the planned land area across the stream; however, this location faces obstacles as there is no bridge crossing yet. Therefore, the commune is leaning towards the first option because it is easier to implement.

Besides site selection, one of the important issues raised is the selection of admissions for the inter-level school. It is expected that the inter-level school will have about 1,000 students. However, reality shows that the scale of students in Mường Nhé commune is very large (nearly 6,000 children), of which about 4,000 are eligible for semi-boarding, and the remaining more than 2,000 are students without semi-boarding benefits.

Regarding this issue, Nguyễn Văn Úy affirmed the local government’s viewpoint: “The inter-level school is not built to gather all students in one place, but to create conditions for children in remote and disadvantaged areas to study in a better environment. The commune will propose selecting current school sites with degraded facilities and difficult traffic to bring students to the inter-level school. This both saves resources and ensures fairness for disadvantaged areas.”

Similar to Mường Nhé commune, due to limited land availability, the authorities of Mường Pồn commune are studying options for selecting a location to build the inter-level school. Nguyễn Văn Lương, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Mường Pồn commune, said: We are researching the selection of the rubber hill area next to Mường Mươn Border Post as the location for building the inter-level school. This land has flat terrain, favorable for construction, and is close to the administrative center and residential areas, very convenient for travel. However, this area involves rubber plantation land, so the locality will coordinate with functional agencies to carry out compensation for rubber trees according to the province’s regulated prices, ensuring the correct process without affecting the rights of the people.

According to statistics, the entire Mường Pồn commune currently has about 2,300 students at the primary and secondary levels, distributed among central school sites. regarding the plan to bring students to the inter-level school, in the immediate future, the commune authorities plan to merge 3 primary schools and 1 secondary school in the old Mường Mươn area into the new inter-level school complex.

“That is the initial arrangement, mechanical in nature, to reduce management focal points and ensure a reasonable operational scale. In addition, the commune plans to expand admissions for students in the old Mường Pồn area, especially school sites with limited facilities, to come to the inter-level school so they can enjoy better learning and living conditions. However, we determine that we must still maintain a number of existing schools to serve students who are not eligible for semi-boarding, avoiding overload or causing disruption for families,” Lương added.

The selection of a new site to build the inter-level school raises the problem of using the headquarters of old schools to avoid waste for Mường Pồn commune. Discussing this content, the Chairman of the Mường Pồn Commune People’s Committee shared: After the inter-level school is completed and students move to the new school to study, we have a plan to convert the old school headquarters into official housing for teachers and commune officials, or as sports areas and community centers. Thus, it both avoids wasting public assets and serves the practical needs of the locality. In addition, Mường Pồn commune is considering rearranging kindergarten sites, as the sites are small and facilities are degraded. This will be convenient for management, ensure safety for children, and save on new investment costs.

“The commune’s viewpoint is not to waste old facilities, while ensuring the construction and merger process takes place transparently and in accordance with regulations,” he added.

Localities in the province are proactively and decisively implementing plans to build Primary and Secondary Inter-level Schools in the spirit of “clear person, clear task, clear responsibility, clear time,” ensuring the progress, quality, and investment efficiency of the project. With clear orientation and thorough preparation, the inter-level school projects are expected to be completed in August 2026, in time to serve the 2026 - 2027 school year. Thereby contributing to improving the quality of education, narrowing the regional gap, creating momentum for socio-economic development, and consolidating the “people’s heart” posture in the border areas.