Lao Cai is a national pioneer in establishing the objective of universal preschool education for four-year-old children. By May 2024, the province had 134/152 communes and 4/9 districts that met the benchmarks, completing 88% of the goal. This is a significant milestone, as Lao Cai becomes the first locality in the country to achieve universal preschool education standards for four-year-old children. In particular, the province has raised over 1,500 billion Vietnamese dong to invest in preschool education, constructing hundreds of new classrooms and guaranteeing that children in hilly areas have access to the greatest educational environment.

Lao Cai's educational infrastructure has gained notice. By the end of 2024, the province would have 594 schools offering over 8,230 classes, fulfilling the educational needs of over 235,000 students. The number of schools achieving national requirements has risen to above 72%, with 586 institutions, a 14% increase from 2022. In addition, by 2024, the province will have constructed and put into service 157/255 educational buildings, which include more than 1,000 classrooms, 567 student boarding rooms, 7 kitchens, 34 bathrooms, and dozens of multi-purpose residences for educational activities.

The quality of education in Lao Cai is clearly demonstrated through the achievements of national excellent students. In 2024, the province had 63/99 candidates winning prizes in the national excellent student competition, reaching a rate of 63.63% - a sharp increase compared to previous years. Of these, there were 3 first prizes, 13 second prizes, 21 third prizes and 26 consolation prizes. Notably, the province had 3 students selected for the international competition in Mathematics and Information Technology.

The Titanic team of Le Quy Don Secondary School, Lao Cai, excellently won the "Innovation Project" award at the Robotacon National Finals in Ho Chi Minh City.

At international Olympic competitions, Lao Cai students achieved excellent results: 3 Gold medals, 4 Silver medals, 16 Bronze medals at SEAMO; 2 Gold medals, 5 Silver medals, 39 Bronze medals at TIMO; 79 Gold medals, 153 Silver medals and 305 Bronze medals at ASMO. In the national IOE competition, 37 students won prizes, including 1 Gold medal, 5 Silver medals and 10 Bronze medals.

In the 2024 high school graduation exam, the average score of Lao Cai students reached 6.62 points, ranking 4th out of 14 provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains, the highest in the emulation block of 7 northern mountainous provinces. The province has more than 100 exams with a score of 10, many candidates are in the top 100 candidates with the highest scores nationwide in the exam groups. Lao Cai is strongly applying technology to education. 100% of schools are connected to the internet, deploying electronic transcripts, smart classrooms and online learning platforms. Students from primary school level have had access to international standard information technology, with more than 1,160 students in grades 3 and 6 participating in the learning program and assessing information technology competency according to IC3 standards. In addition, the province is also piloting a STEM education model and creative experiential learning, helping students develop comprehensively.

Despite achieving important results, Lao Cai education still faces challenges such as a lack of teachers in specialized subjects (Music, Fine Arts, Information Technology), uneven facilities in some mountainous areas, and difficulties in attracting social investment resources in education.

However, with the attention of the Central and local governments, and the spirit of innovation, Lao Cai education sector has been constantly striving to overcome difficulties, continue to promote the achievements in education and training, contributing to the formation of quality human resources, serving the integration and development needs of the country and locality.