The school attendance rate of children in Son La mountain province has increased in recent years.

The traditional wooden house of Phang Xa Sinh, a Mong man in Lang Cheu commune, is packed with certificates of merits and commendations honoring his family’s education tradition. Sinh has been working very hard to ensure schooling for his children.

“As we traditionally lived a nomadic life, education was something very difficult in the past. After resettlement, we started to enjoy a stable life and my children could go to school. Now they all have a stable job,” Sinh recalled.

All households in Lang Cheu commune belong to the Mong ethnic minority who have faced hardships partly due to poor education. Local authorities have worked with organizations to help the children go to school.

Pham Thi Anh Nguyet, Headmaster of Lang Cheu primary school, told VOV, “Thanks to education promotion efforts, there haven’t been any dropouts in our school over the past several years. 99% of the students have graduated.”

More than 100 students from Lang Cheu commune are attending universities, colleges, or vocational schools.

Phang A Su, a student of Northwest University, sahred his thought, “I’m lucky to have the opportunity to attend school. I’ll try to study well to secure a better life for my family.”

Phang A Tong, Chairman of Lang Cheu commune’s Education Promotion Association, said that the association has set up 9 branches in residential areas and schools.

“We have mobilized children to attend school and encouraged local students who are studying at universities and colleges to return to their homeland after graduation,” said Tong.

Education promotion efforts have fuelled the hope for brighter prospects in Lang Cheu commune and other ethnic minority areas in Bac Yen district.