Connecting resources to help students access technology

Nguyen Thanh Trung, a student at Tan Thanh Secondary School in Tan Tien Commune, Dong Nai Province, a border-area school, was the first to use one of the new computers on the opening day of the 2025–2026 academic year. Trung shared that the new machine runs much faster and the keyboard is more responsive, unlike the older models, which took a long time to start up.

Le Phat Dat, a student at Thanh Phu Secondary School (Tan Trieu Ward), instructs his classmate on how to use the computer. Photo: Van Truyen

Since the start of the school year, many students have shared Trung's excitement as computer labs funded through social contributions continue to be delivered to schools,  particularly those in the province's border areas.

Joining hands to bring technology to schools

Comrade Huynh Thi Hang, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chair of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Nai Province, noted that despite significant achievements in the education sector in recent years, many challenges remain. Dong Nai is home to 45 schools across its eight border communes, 30 of which fall under Notice No. 81-TB/TW, the Politburo’s Conclusion on the policy of investing in the construction of schools for border communes. At the same time, many schools in disadvantaged communes remain in urgent need of infrastructure investment.

To address this, the Party, the State, and the province have been implementing various solutions, such as surveying infrastructure, teaching and learning conditions, and student numbers in each commune, and allocating resources accordingly. Alongside the state budget, the province has called for community support to build a modern, enabling educational environment for students in border and disadvantaged areas.

The Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, together with its member organizations, has mobilized, received, and distributed social contributions to schools. On September 5, the Provincial Fatherland Front leaders and donors handed over a computer lab with 20 computers to Tan Thanh Secondary School (Tan Tien Commune) and another lab with 30 computers to Loc Tan Secondary School (Loc Tan Commune).

On September 9 and 12, the Dong Nai Union of Friendship Organizations, in collaboration with Tan Trieu Ward’s People’s Committee and donors, delivered a lab with 46 computers and 24 televisions to Thanh Phu Secondary School, and provided meeting room equipment (projector, screen, and laptop) for Phan Chu Trinh Primary School.

Nguyen Van Hao, Principal of Tan Thanh Secondary School, shared: “Our school has 690 students. We had a computer lab before, but over time, it degraded, and only about 10 computers were still functional. This challenge made teaching and learning IT very difficult. So when the school received a new computer lab, it was a huge joy for us all.

The province is continuing to mobilize social resources to improve school infrastructure, with the aim of encouraging greater contributions from individuals and organizations.

Helping students use technology effectively

The new computer labs, put into operation at the start of the school year, have brought renewed enthusiasm to teaching and learning across schools in the province.

Nguyen Khanh Linh, a student at Tan Thanh Secondary School, said: “I’m very happy that our school now has a new computer lab with many machines and strong internet, making everything more convenient.”

At Loc Tan Secondary School, also located in one of Dong Nai’s border communes, student Tran Hoang Thanh and his classmates were helping one another learn the functions of individual keys and key combinations on the keyboard. "I had used a computer before, but not very often, so I wasn’t very proficient. Now that the school has new machines and teachers to guide us, I think I’ll be able to improve quickly," said Thanh.

Le Phat Dat, a 6th grader at Thanh Phu Secondary School in Tan Trieu Ward, shared: “I’ve been using computers for three years, but many of my classmates have never tried them before, so they’re not confident. During lessons, I try to help them. I hope all of us can use computers well to take advantage of online resources for learning.”

To help students make the most of the technology, Comrade Huynh Thi Hang emphasized the need for schools and local authorities to increase computer practice time for students and adopt measures that encourage them to enhance their digital learning skills, thereby fostering a digital learning environment in border schools.

Each commune and school must come up with its own appropriate solutions.

According to Hoang Manh Thuong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Loc Tan Commune, to encourage students to master computers, the commune will launch a typing competition for all grade levels in the 2025–2026 school year.

Principal Nguyen Van Hao added, “Students are still slow in using computers and unfamiliar with many applications. To improve, they need regular practice and exploration. To encourage this, we launched a speed-typing competition on the first day of the new school year. Hopefully, over time, students will improve their typing speed and acquire basic IT skills.”

Through connections facilitated by the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, Lac Hong University expressed its joy in supporting border-area students at Tan Thanh Secondary School with new computer sets. The university also pledged to continue allocating resources to help the province bring information technology to other disadvantaged schools.

Meritorious Teacher Nguyen Thi Thu Lan, Vice Principal of Lac Hong University, said: “In the future, we’ll try our best to contribute further to providing better learning opportunities for students in difficult areas.”

Currently, the province hopes to continue receiving support from philanthropists, agencies, organizations, and businesses to create the best possible learning environment for students in border communes.

By Van Truyen - Translated by Trieu Ngan, Minho