This academic year, the Mau Dong Commune Primary and Secondary School in Van Yen district has more than 720 students in 22 classes at both levels. During the 2021-2022 school year, because of COVID-19, 97 percent of students study online using laptops or smartphones, following the motto "Don’t come to school, but don’t stop learning”. The school, meanwhile, sends study materials to the homes of the remaining 3 percent of students who do not have computers.

The Yen Bai Power Company has presented 10 tablets to students with a total value of over 50 million VND. Nguyen Huu Nghi, Deputy Director of the Yen Bai Power Company, said this is to support disadvantaged students so that their studies are not interrupted by the pandemic.

As a newly-merged unit in early 2022, the Nghia Tam Secondary and High School in Van Chan district still lacks facilities, and most students live in villages and communes facing difficulties. Of the 967 students at both levels, some 100 students from ethnic minorities or in problematic circumstances do not have devices to study online.

"We are honoured and excited for our students to receive devices from the leaders of the Party Central Committee’s Organising Commission,” said teacher Nguyen Duc Hieu. "With this gift of 100 tablets, all of our students are now able to study online”.

Figures from the provincial Department of Education and Training show that 35,812 out of the total of 173,999 students in local primary to high schools do not have devices to study online. Mu Cang Chai district is short of over 11,000 devices, Tram Tau district more than 5,000, and Luc Yen district nearly 4,000.

Given the humanitarian meaning of the programme, the Provincial People’s Committee has issued an action plan and actively called on local public servants and staff at agencies, organisations, and businesses as well as individuals to join hands in reaching the goal of 100 percent of schools, teachers, and students being fully equipped with computers or other devices to enable online teaching and studies.

Organisations and businesses in and outside of the province have provided 320 million VND and 190 tablets to date for students. The province is continuing to seek and receive other resources for support.