Border schools strive to improve education quality

Dong Nai province has 56 schools of all levels located across eight border communes. Compared to the provincial average, schools in these areas face numerous challenges in terms of facilities and staffing. They serve a large number of ethnic minority students, and many parents have yet to place sufficient emphasis on their children's education. Despite these difficulties, the teaching staff have made dedicated efforts to overcome obstacles and continuously improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Persisting with the class

Muoi Mau Hamlet, Hung Phuoc Commune, Dong Nai Province, is one of the particularly disadvantaged hamlets in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Located far from the commune center, the hamlet has a sparse population, consisting mainly of ethnic minority residents. To support children's access to education, a branch of Phuoc Thien Primary and Secondary School (under Hung Phuoc Primary and Secondary School) has been established in the hamlet.

Pupils of class 2A, Dak A Primary School (Bu Gia Map commune) during an English class. Photo: Hai Yen

Although designated as a primary and lower secondary school, the Phuoc Thien Primary and Secondary School branch also hosts two classes from Hung Phuoc Kindergarten. Nearly all students at this school site are ethnic minority children, most of them from the S'tieng group. Local living conditions remain challenging, as students often live far from school, and many are not fluent in the Kinh language. These are clear obstacles that directly affect the quality of teaching and learning for both teachers and students.

Truong Nguyen Nguyen Thao has worked for 31 years, more than half of which have been spent teaching at this school site. Having lived and taught here for many years, Thao has a deep understanding of the local community's culture, customs, and practices, which serves as an advantage in the teaching process. Thao’s teaching approach is rooted in dedication and perseverance with her students. Due to language barriers, teachers must teach at a slower pace so that students can follow and understand the material more easily. For students who learn more slowly, teachers use recess to provide extra tutoring, allowing them to keep up with the lessons.

Thao shared: “The students are not proficient in the Kinh language, and I do not know the ethnic language. So I have to repeat many things over and over again. In general, teachers must be very patient, every minute, every hour, every day. If I use one teaching method today and the students still do not understand, then tomorrow I will use another method until they achieve the lesson’s objectives. In addition, I must constantly encourage them and be willing to spend my own money to buy learning tools and books for them.”

Teacher Bui Van Hoi, Hung Phuoc Secondary School, has been working at this school for 8 years. Despite many difficulties, this young teacher still considers the school his second home.

What gives Hoi more strength to stick with his job is the friendly, honest, and obedient students.

“In addition, there is also support from the Party and State policies for education in border areas and ethnic minority areas, the attention of leaders at all levels, local authorities, and the school board. In addition, many volunteer groups also come here to support students,” said Hoi.

Efforts to improve the quality of education

Dak A Primary School (Bu Gia Map Commune, Dong Nai Province) has nearly 500 students, with more than 78% of them being ethnic minority children from economically disadvantaged families. Most parents pay little attention to their children’s education, which has had an impact, albeit to varying degrees, on the school’s overall educational quality. The school also lacks functional rooms, and some classrooms are in a state of disrepair. Despite these challenging conditions, the school’s teaching staff has made significant efforts to enhance the quality of teaching and learning, yielding positive results.

An English lesson for students at Dak A Primary School, Bu Gia Map Commune, Dong Nai Province. Photo: Hai Yen

In the 2024–2025 school year, more than 98% of the school’s students completed their grade-level programs, 100% completed the primary education program, and there were no dropouts. Notably, this border-area school has two English teachers, ensuring sufficient staffing to deliver compulsory English instruction for grades 3, 4, and 5, as well as elective English classes for grades 1 and 2. Young teachers, employing active teaching methods and engaging lesson formats, have sparked interest among students, enabling them to overcome language barriers and absorb lessons more effectively. Similarly, Information Technology is also taught to all students in grades 3, 4, and 5 as per regulations, alongside the integration of digital citizenship education to promote the early development of essential skills for future digital citizens.

Phuoc Thien Primary and Secondary School has 100% of its students being ethnic minority children. This reality poses numerous challenges for teachers in attracting and retaining students to their schools. Teachers regularly visit parents’ homes to encourage them to ensure the number of students and help them access the Preschool Education Program.

“We will continue to innovate teaching and testing methods, and evaluate them in the direction of developing students' qualities and abilities, creating opportunities and conditions for students to develop comprehensively; promote STEM/STEAM education, digital skills, artificial intelligence (AI); improve the quality of English teaching, gradually making English the second language in schools; promote digital transformation and innovate school governance” said Principal of Dak A Primary School Nguyen Thi Thuy Ha.

Dong Nai province has eight border communes: Tan Tien, Thien Hung, Hung Phuoc, Loc Thanh, Loc Thanh, Loc Tan, Dak O, and Bu Gia Map. Across these communes, there are 56 schools, ranging from kindergarten to high school, serving over 29,800 students. Among them, over 3,200 are from poor and near-poor households, and more than 10,000 are ethnic minority students.

The challenges and efforts of teachers at Dak A Primary School and Hung Phuoc Secondary School reflect the broader difficulties and dedication shared by schools across all of the province’s border communes. The province’s commitment to prioritizing investment in education, combined with the enthusiasm, dedication, and ongoing innovation of teaching staff, will serve as a driving force to improve the quality of education in these border-area schools.

By Hai Yen – Translated by Quoc Dung, Minho