Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue presented gifts to 10 outstanding students at T78 Friendship School in Hanoi's Phuc Tho district on September 5.

National Assembly's Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (middle) presents the gifts to 10 outstanding students at the T78 Friendship School on September 5. Photo: Trong Tung/The Hanoi Times

At the opening ceremony for the school year 2023-2024, Chairman Hue also presented a gift to the school and beat the drum to start the new school year.

The President of the National Assembly praised the importance of the school among all boarding schools for ethnic students.

The school is responsible for educating both Lao students and Vietnamese ethnic minority students from the northern mountainous provinces.

"T78 Friendship School is a trustworthy place to educate the youth and help them realize their dreams and aspirations," Hue said.

"The school is also a home for Vietnamese and Lao students, strengthening Vietnam-Laos relations."

"I hope the teachers will continue to be role models and motivate the students to strive for learning," he said at the ceremony.

"I expect that the next generations of the school will follow the previous ones and strive to become good citizens, thus promoting bilateral relations between the two countries."

The top legislator urged all teachers and leaders of the school to do their best and fulfill the tasks set for this academic year, which marks the 10th year of implementation of the Party Central Committee's Resolution 29 on reforming the education sector.

He urged the school to internalize the policies of the Party and the Government, create new teaching methods, put students at the center of all activities, and improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Ethnic minority students should be taught about national unity and improve their relationship with Lao classmates in a friendly, positive and healthy learning environment, he added.

Hue called on the Ministry of Education and Training, the Hanoi People's Committee and Phuc Tho District to support and facilitate the school's progress.

He asked local authorities to create conditions for the school to improve its facilities, solve existing problems, and ensure that teachers and students can continue their work.

According to Le Phu Thang, director of T78 Friendship School, the school was established on January 1, 1958, under the name of Central Mountainous Boarding School. Its mission was to train Lao officials and revolutionary activists to contribute to the liberation and development of their homeland.

The dormitory became the first school for Lao students to learn Vietnamese and other subjects. It was the foundation for the development of modern Lao schools in Vietnam.

In 1980, the school moved to Phuc Tho District, Ha Tay Province, which became part of Hanoi in August 2008.

After 65 years of development, approximately 27,000 Lao have graduated from T78 Friendship School. Many now hold key positions in the Party, government and local administration of Laos.

In addition, tens of thousands of ethnic minority students have graduated from school and pursued higher education in Vietnam, contributing to the development of provinces and cities.

T78 Friendship School has received many awards from the parties and governments of Vietnam and Laos.