School in northern Vietnam marries modern design with highland ethnic heritage

The school, located in Muong Khuong Commune, will serve as the central venue for the nationwide ceremony marking the inauguration of new schools and the opening of the 2026-27 academic year on Saturday.

Lao Cai Province will put into operation boarding schools for elementary and secondary students in the border communes of Pha Long, Y Ty and A Mu Sung the same day.

Mong Thi Duyen, principal of Muong Khuong Elementary and Secondary Boarding School, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) on Thursday that preparations for the inauguration and opening ceremony had essentially been completed.

The school covers nearly five hectares and comprises nine integrated buildings, providing facilities for studying and boarding for 980 students.

The project carried a price tag of over VND215 billion (US$8.2 million).

It is one of the province’s major education projects and is expected to bring significant improvements to the care and development of young people living in the province's border areas.

What sets the project apart is not only its scale of investment but also its approach to architecture, which places the cultural identity of ethnic communities in the highlands at the heart of the design.

The school draws inspiration from the cultural heritage of the Hmong and Dao peoples.

Traditional brocade patterns and the vivid colors of their traditional clothing have been incorporated into the contemporary architecture.

Its sports grounds are designed to evoke a highland market, creating a learning environment that combines modern educational facilities with a strong sense of local cultural identity.

As a boarding school, the institution has had to prepare not only classrooms, equipment and teaching staff, but also accommodation, meals and daily living arrangements to ensure that students can quickly settle into their new surroundings.

Ahead of the new school year, the school has helped students prepare textbooks and notebooks and distributed essential learning supplies.

It has also organized a range of extracurricular activities, including cultural and musical performances and clubs featuring the traditional folk music of the Hmong, Bo Y, Nung and Pa Di communities.

Through these activities, students had the opportunity not only to preserve their own cultural heritage but also to learn about the traditions and identities of other ethnic groups represented at the school.