Part 2: A intellectual “hearth” for highland border students

They dine together, study side by side, and receive guidance from teachers covering everything from organizing personal belongings to daily self-care. Living far from home, they nevertheless find constant companionship from teachers and mutual support from friends. For many students, the school has thus transformed into a second home - where every day they are loved, nurtured, and accompanied on their journey toward maturity.

While morning mist still hangs over surrounding mountain ridges, the residential quarters of Sam Mứn Primary and Secondary Boarding School already buzz with student activity. Their new day begins with folding blankets and mosquito nets, arranging belongings, preparing books, and heading down to class together. Just a few weeks prior, many children felt awkward performing these chores independently for the first time. Now, blankets are neatly folded and clothes are tucked away in their designated spots. The students remind one another to maintain room cleanliness and swiftly get ready to reach class on time.

Among the stream of students departing the boarding quarters each morning is Ly Thị Nà, a 9th-grade student in class 9A. Her home lies in Púng Bửa village, approximately 30km from the school. Previously, each journey to school was an arduous trek; during harsh weather, travel grew even more grueling. Moving into the boarding facility, the commute from dormitory to classroom takes merely a few minutes on foot, affording Nà ample time to review lessons, participate in collective activities, and converse with peers.

“During the initial days, I felt homesick and was not accustomed to living with so many classmates. Then, our teachers guided us on how to arrange our belongings and follow daily schedules punctually; room-mates also supported one another, so I felt happier and more at ease. At school, I have plenty of time to study and no longer have to worry about the long commute like before,” Nà shared.

Like Nà, many boarding students at Sam Mứn Primary and Secondary Boarding School are residing away from their families for an extended period for the first time. Hence, in the opening days of the school term, teachers simultaneously deliver curriculum instruction and help the children adapt to structured collective living.

According to teacher Lê Thị Thu, instructors maintain a regular presence in the residential quarters to converse with students, grasp their psychological states, and offer encouraging words and guidance, helping them feel safe and cared for so they integrate swiftly into the new setting. “In a boarding environment, teachers must remain attentive to notice which student feels downcast, who struggles with the food, or who encounters difficulties in daily routines. There are very minor matters, but if addressed in a timely manner, the children blend into the collective quickly,” Thu shared.

From Sam Mứn, this story is also unfolding across numerous other multi-level schools along the Điện Biên frontier. While each institution possesses differing circumstances, they share the common reality of hundreds of students who once had to traverse grueling distances now studying, dining, and residing directly on campus.

At Sín Thầu Primary and Secondary Boarding School, the current academic year counts 1,013 students, of whom 898 are boarders. Across the entire school, 745 children live 7km or more from the campus, and 477 hail from border-adjacent hamlets. For Khoàng Tư Cà, an 8th-grade student in class 8A1, boarding relieves him from trekking approximately 10km daily from his home in Phứ Ma village. Previously, each school day meant carrying both a backpack and a lunch tin. On rainy days, the roads grew so treacherous that he occasionally contemplated dropping out.

“Before, I usually walked to school by myself. Some days my older sister gave me a ride. But she had plenty of chores, so she could not take me every day. Now being able to board, I do not have to travel long distances daily, gaining more time to study and join activities with friends,” Cà enthusiastically shared.

Entering the boarding school, Cà gradually grew accustomed to orderly daily routines alongside his peers. After class hours, he takes meals at the dining hall, participates in school activities, and conducts self-study in the evening. A regular daily rhythm affords Cà extra time for academic work, lifting the physical exhaustion once tied to the arduous daily journey to school.

Also boarding like Khoàng Tư Cà, the route from home to school for Lỳ Thu Vân, a 5th-grade student in class 5A1, stretches about 50km. Vân’s home is situated in Tả Ló San village directly abutting the Việt Nam - China border, perched on a remote edge of the nation’s map. Because Vân could not commute independently, her parents had to take turns arranging farm work to transport her back and forth. Beginning this school year, Vân boards at school, eliminating the daily repetition of the grueling trek from Tả Ló San.

Cà and Vân are two among hundreds of Sín Thầu students embarking on a new lifestyle beneath the roof of a boarding school. Each comes with a unique background, yet together they absorb initial lessons in self-reliance, discipline, mutual sharing, and collective responsibility.

Triệu Thị Vân, a parent from Tá Miếu village, used to worry constantly when her child commuted far to school. On cold, rainy days over rugged terrain, those anxieties intensified. Since her child began boarding, the household no longer has to arrange daily drop-offs and pick-ups.

Triệu Thị Vân remarked that living far away prevents the family from visiting school frequently, but knowing their child receives full board and attentive care from teachers brings peace of mind. After boarding for a period, the child has grown proactive in studying, knows how to organize personal items, and helps parents far more upon returning home.

Hạ A Dua, Secretary of the Cà Là Pá 1 village Party Cell, noted that previously, significant distances to school paired with harsh travel conditions caused several parents to hesitate over long-term schooling for their children. Each rainy season, maintaining student attendance rates became a shared headache for many households. With the multi-level boarding school operational, students enjoy stable learning and living accommodations, freeing parents from daily transportation burdens. The village Party branch and socio-political organizations find mobilization work far smoother when encouraging locals to prioritize their children’s education.

“Villagers feel far more reassured seeing their children study and reside in sound conditions under attentive teacher care. The children return home bolder and more disciplined, reinforcing the public’s confidence in the school,” Hạ A Dua stated.

Across border territories, that popular consensus carries exceptional significance. When each household places greater faith in education, the path to school for highland children becomes far more favorable and secure.