Supporting students in border areas

Along with millions of students nationwide, students at all schools in Dong Nai's eight border communes have been heartened and moved by the support and companionship of authorities and sectors at all levels, particularly the Border Guard soldiers.

Officers and soldiers of the Dong Nai City Border Guard help clean up Loc Thanh Primary School in preparation for the new school year.

Despite the harsh sun and wind of the border region, the sight of Dong Nai City Border Guard officers and soldiers helping students has given them additional motivation as they enter the new school year. These efforts help keep alive hundreds of disadvantaged students’ dreams of going to school on the front lines of the Fatherland.

Giving wings to border students’ dreams

In preparation for the opening ceremony of the 2026-2027 school year, throughout August 2026, units under the City Border Guard closely coordinated with local authorities and schools to launch a campaign to clean up the environment, clear school grounds, and repair facilities.

At Branch Campus 2 of Loc Thanh Primary and Secondary School in Loc Thanh Commune, 25 officers and soldiers from the Training and Mobile Battalion of the City Border Guard helped clean the school grounds, dig drainage ditches, and arrange tables, chairs, and bookshelves for semi-boarding activities and preparations for the new school year’s opening ceremony. Nguyen Thi Hue, Vice Principal in charge of Branch Campus 2, said that in the 2026-2027 school year, the branch campus has nearly 900 students in 27 classes, including 18 primary and nine secondary classes. Branch Campus 2 was recently handed over for use, and there was a heavy workload. Thanks to the support of Border Guard officers and soldiers, the clutter left behind after repairs had been cleared away, leaving the school tidy, clean, and beautiful.

Major Duong Xuan Quan, Deputy Battalion Commander of the Training and Mobile Battalion under the Dong Nai City Border Guard Command, said that upon receiving the mission, the unit quickly dispatched 25 officers and soldiers to the branch campus to provide support and assistance. “The officers and soldiers carried out their tasks at Branch Campus 2 in the spirit of working as quickly, effectively, and safely as possible so that the teachers and students could begin the new school year in the best possible conditions. The joy and excitement of the teachers and students on the September 5 opening day demonstrated their enthusiasm,” affirmed Major Quan.

Joining these efforts, dozens of officers and soldiers from the Loc Tan Border Guard Station actively coordinated with and supported Hoa Cuc Kindergarten in cleaning and arranging facilities at the new school site, contributing to careful preparations for the opening day. Border Guard Stations such as Loc Thanh, Tan Thanh, and Loc An also contributed dozens of workdays, working with schools to inspect and repair electrical and water systems and ensure thorough preparations for classrooms. This timely cooperation helped the schools secure spacious, clean, and beautiful facilities, bringing parents a sense of excitement and peace of mind.

In addition to helping clean and prepare the facilities, the Border Guard also cares for the material and spiritual well-being of students in border areas. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Chau, Political Commissar of Bu Gia Map Border Guard Station, said that on the day of the new school year opening ceremony, the unit sent officers to attend it and award scholarships to seven students participating in the “Stepping into School” project in Bu Gia Map Commune. The Bu Gia Map Border Guard Station also coordinated with benefactors to present 400 gifts, with a total value of 120 million VND, to 250 students and 150 disadvantaged households in the commune.

As the new school year began, border communes also saw many meaningful activities by the Border Guard in accompanying schools. The Loc Thinh Border Gate Border Guard Station sent officers to attend the opening ceremony of the 2026-2027 school year at Branch Campus 2 of Loc Thanh Primary and Secondary School. There, the unit presented seven gifts, including two for students in the “Stepping into School” program and five scholarships from the “Xe Bus Yeu Thuong” (Love Bus) charity group – Ho Chi Minh City.

Meanwhile, the Loc Tan Border Guard Station presented 20 gift packages to disadvantaged students in Thanh Tay Hamlet and Bu Nui Hamlet, Loc Tan Commune. At the same time, it sent officers to attend opening ceremonies for the new school year at schools in Loc Tan and Loc Thanh communes.

The Hoa Lu International Border Gate Border Guard Station coordinated with Loc Thanh Secondary School and benefactors from the Ho Chi Minh City Study Promotion Bookcase Group to present 450 gifts, three televisions, and 15 scholarships to students, with a total value of 167 million VND.

In the 2026-2027 school year, the Dong Nai Border Guard effectively implemented many models focused on educational institutions, such as contributing to facility repairs, helping maintain meals for semi-boarding students, supporting students in getting to school, and sponsoring disadvantaged students who strive to overcome hardship, thereby contributing to building a strong all-people border defense posture from the grassroots level.

For border region’s future generations

According to Senior Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Hoan, Deputy Head of the Political Department of the Dong Nai City Border Guard, recent developments at border school sites, particularly the Border Guard's careful preparations and care for the 2026-2027 school year, are clear evidence of the spirit that “the army and the people are of one mind.” From programs and projects such as “Border Guard Foster Child” and “Stepping into School” to meaningful gifts and tireless workdays, each activity provides additional support to help children feel secure in going to school.

“Looking further ahead, accompanying students at border schools not only has the immediate significance of ensuring social welfare but is also an important strategy for nurturing and cultivating future generations of citizens in the border region of the Fatherland. Every ‘young sprout’ cared for today with the love and responsibility of border soldiers will become a solid ‘people's heart fortress’ in the future,” said Senior Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Hoan.

As the first days of the new school year came to a close, the image of City Border Guard officers and soldiers joining hands with teachers and students in border schoolyards painted a beautiful picture of the close army-people bond, like fish and water. Through these efforts, the City Border Guard continues to play its leading and core role, serving as a firm pillar and companion to schools and students on the front lines of the Fatherland. Caring for and supporting students today is a practical way to cultivate and nurture loyal and ambitious future generations, continuing to write the epic of protecting and building an increasingly peaceful and developed border region.

By Nguyet Ha – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho