152-year-old Ho Chi Minh City gifted school unveils ultra-modern new campus

The new campus of Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted spans more than 14,000 sq.m and features facilities such as pickleball and football courts, as well as a smart library, marking a sharp contrast with the French colonial architecture of its historic former campus.

Located along Mai Chi Tho Boulevard in An Khanh Ward, the new facility accommodates roughly 900 students in the 10th and 11th grades.

The campus embraces a modern design aesthetic. This marks a stark contrast to the classic French architecture of the school's original downtown location.

This new facility is the result of a major institutional restructuring. In 2024, the school was officially divided into two separate entities.

Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted now operates out of the new An Khanh campus, while Tran Dai Nghia Secondary and High School remains at the original downtown campus.

Many students say the library's quiet environment makes it their preferred spot for exam preparation.

They also highlighted the facility's extensive collection of English-language reference books as a major academic asset.

The new campus houses 45 standard classrooms, along with a suite of specialized learning spaces and administrative offices.

Together, these facilities are designed to fully support the daily needs of the school's semi-boarding students.

Inside, every classroom is outfitted for modern comfort and instruction, coming fully equipped with air conditioning, televisions, and sliding boards.

The 10,000-square-meter sports area includes basketball, volleyball and football courts, pickleball facilities, a sandpit and jogging track, all surrounded by trees and landscaped green spaces.

The new campus builds upon a long-standing legacy of academic excellence. During the last academic year alone, students from Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted secured 36 national academic awards and 177 city-level prizes.

The student body also captured 52 medals at the prestigious April 30 Olympic competition, while maintaining a strong record of achievements in the arts, sports, and extracurricular initiatives.

The institution traces its origins back to Lasan Taberd Secondary School, founded in 1874.

Originally established as a care facility for abandoned Eurasian children, the school eventually expanded its admissions to all students, regardless of their religious background.

Operated by a missionary organization prior to 1975, the institution earned a stellar reputation for educating many of southern Vietnam’s most prominent figures.

Following national reunification in 1975, the facility was transferred to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training to serve as a teacher education center. In 2000, it officially adopted the name of Tran Dai Nghia, a Vietnamese military engineer prominent in Vietnam's defense industry.