(HBO) – In autumn days of August, we had an occasion to visit the Cao Phong – Thach Yen revolutionary base. Following the historical traces, we relived the old revolutionary days. The Cao Phong – Thach Yen land formerly had rough mountainous terrain.
In late 1944, the regional party committee of
Bac
Kyassigned comrade Vu Tho, former Secretary of the Party delegation of Hoa Binh,
to come to the region to popularize the nation’s revolution among ethnic people
there, which paved a way for the establishment of the Cao Phong – Thach Yen
revolutionary base. In July 1945, Vu Tho selected 30 young, tough and
enthusiastic militiamen for military training courses in Cao Phong – Thach Yen
region. At first, the classes were located at Ngai hamlet, Thach Yen commune
(now Yen Lap commune), and then removed to Khanh pagoda, Thach Yen commune (now
Yen Thuong commune).

Quoen Ang
pagoda site in Tan Phong commune was upgraded to satisfy the spiritual demand
and educate revolutionary tradition for today young generations.
Quoen pagoda in Trang hamlet, Tan Phong commune,
was the gathering of the Hoa Binh Party delegation in April 1945. During the
meeting, the Party delegation decided to establish revolutionary bases. On August
23, 1945, the delegation of Cao Phong – Thach Yen base coordinated with the
army in Lac Son to enter Phuong Lam, then crossing the Da River to
Dung street to join
revolutionary forces in the whole province to seize the power.
While visiting Quoen Ang pagoda relic site, Bui
Van Yen, Chairman of Tan Phong commune’s People’s Committee shared that after
the anti-France resistance war, the pagoda was damaged due to many reasons. On
the land of the old pagoda, there were only a few of broken tiles. The only
object found at the pagoda is a bronze bell weighing over 100kg and dating to
the 18th century. In 2012, one billion VND was invested in upgrading the pagoda
relic site to meet the spiritual life and educate revolutionary history for
young generations today. Along with Khanh pagoda, Quoen Ang is a popular place
for spiritual tourism, attracting a lot of tourists on Tet holidays. Promoting
the tradition of the revolutionary land, officials and residents in Tan Phong
commune have spared no effort to overcome difficulties and build a new life. In
2017, the commune strives to increase annual per capita average income to 28
million VND. The rate of poor households will be reduced by 17.2 percent.
Currently, the commune has met 15 out of the 19 criteria on building new-style
rural areas.
The Thach Yen – Cao Phong base was recognised as
a national revolutionary relic site by the Ministry of Culture and Information in
1996. Nowadays, not only Tan Phong commune, but also other mountainous communes
such as Yen Lap and Yen Thuong are witnessing day-by-day changes. Thanks to the
Party and State’s support, the infrastructure at these communes has been
improved, bringing a facelift to the land. Local people are excited to join
labour production and build a well-off life.
More than just an information technology teacher, Bui Van Nien is an inspiring figure who has nurtured the scientific curiosity and creative spirit of students in Vietnam’s ethnic minority communities.
Da Bac is the most disadvantaged mountainous district in Hoa Binh province, with ethnic minorities accounting for about 90% of its population. Over the past years, the district has mobilised resources to implement ethnic policies to improve the quality of life of local people.
In recent years, Hoa Binh province has consistently prioritised the protection, care, and education of children, particularly those from ethnic minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds, by creating a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment for their all-round development.
The Steering Committee for Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control of Hoa Binh province, in coordination with the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Fund, held a ceremony on May 28 in response to the World No Tobacco Day (May 31) and the National No Tobacco Week (from May 25 to 31). The event was chaired by Nguyen Van Toan, Standing Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee and head of the Steering Committee.
Since 2021, the Center for Industrial Promotion and Industrial Development Consulting (CIIDC) under the Department of Industry and Trade has been implementing a school lighting model as part of the plan for using energy efficiently and economically in Hoa Binh Province in the pẻiod of 2021 - 2025. This model not only aims to improve the learning conditions and enhance the education quality, but it also promotes the message of energy saving, energy security, environmental protection and contributes to the goals of socio-economic development.
In the 2024 - 2025 school year, the entire Hoa Binh provincial education sector includes 520 educational institutions and schools. Among them are 13 ethnic boarding schools with 153 classes and 4,487 students. Four of these schools have met national standards, reaching 30.7 percent.