Ninh Binh mobilises resources to support disadvantaged students

At the start of the 2026 2027 academic year, the provincial Study Promotion Association, in coordination with sponsors, organised a series of scholarship programmes for orphaned students, those from low-income families and others facing difficult circumstances. Hundreds of in-kind gifts, including bicycles and school backpacks, were also distributed, with a total value reaching hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong.

A representative of the association said that, over the past five years, study promotion funds at all levels across the province had mobilised and accumulated nearly 500 billion VND. These resources had been used to award 1,678,841 scholarships to disadvantaged students, orphans and students with disabilities who achieved good academic results. The funds also supported students winning national and international awards, helped teachers prepare high-achieving students for academic competitions, and provided school facilities and teaching equipment to numerous educational institutions.

Notably, funding sources have become increasingly diverse. Rather than relying solely on contributions to a common fund, the association has developed targeted programmes that connect sponsors directly with students, businesses with schools, and social organisations with communities and individuals in need.

One prominent initiative, the “Computers and Internet Connectivity for Students” programme, mobilised donations of 1,282 computers of various types, worth more than 3.5 billion VND. The “Red Address Golden Hearts” scholarship programme awarded 8,182 scholarships totalling more than 7 billion VND.

Meanwhile, the “Scholarships to help students overcome hardships and stay in school” programme received support from 662 participating organisations and businesses, alongside 240 individual donors. It provided assistance to 1,887 student beneficiaries, with total funding reported at 10.08 billion VND.

The association has also established long-term partnerships with several organisations and businesses to ensure sustained support for students. In collaboration with XPFoundation, it provided 620 scholarships under the “XP Helping students overcome hardships and stay in school” programme, worth a total of 1.82 billion VND over six years.

Its partnership with Long Son Cement Company resulted in 794 scholarships worth more than 4 billion VND. In cooperation with The Asia Foundation and other sponsors, the association awarded 1,350 scholarships under the Lifelong Learning programme, with a total value of 1.35 billion VND, as part of a cooperation agreement covering 2025 2028. The Tan Hiep Phat Group also contributed 500 scholarships worth more than 500 million VND.

Resource mobilisation continued on a broad scale in the first nine months of 2026. Study promotion associations at provincial, grassroots, branch and clan levels raised and allocated more than 11 billion VND for scholarships and academic awards, benefiting 32,548 student recipients.

The province’s extensive study promotion network has also helped ensure that assistance reaches the right beneficiaries at the right time, providing students facing financial hardship with additional opportunities to pursue their education.

The provincial Study Promotion Association and the Department of Education and Training are currently implementing a cooperation programme for 2026 2031. Key priorities include supporting learners, mobilising social resources and assisting students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The association is also continuing to encourage businesses, social organisations, individuals and philanthropists to contribute scholarships, books, learning equipment and funding for school construction and improvement. These efforts aim to strengthen the link between educational support and corporate social responsibility.

At the same time, the association plans to diversify scholarship criteria, delivery methods and eligible beneficiaries, with early intervention for students from low-income families and orphans a particular priority. The goal is to help them remain in education while establishing sustainable, transparent and effective mechanisms for mobilising and allocating social resources.

Through these efforts, the association aims to ensure that financial hardship at home does not prevent students from accessing educational opportunities and building a better future./.