VietNamNet Bridge – Yesterday, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) told VietNamNet that the ministry is going to keep a tighter reign over overseas students in order to ensure their legal rights.

Head of the Department for Students’ Affairs under MOET, Phung Khac Binh

Does MOET have any mechanisms that allow the ministry to cooperate with relevant Vietnames agencies in Russia to manage Vietnamese overseas students after the murder of student Vu Anh Tuan in 2004?

The International Cooperation Training Agency under MOET is compiling a document which clearly stipulates the policies to ensure the legal rights of students.

As for students who go to study in Russia, there is no regulation which forces them to update their information to the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia. However, there may be a mechanism to encourage students to keep contact with the embassy to ensure their interests.

Tang Quoc Binh was the second Vietnamese student killed in Russia. What will happen if we still do not have any mechanism which allows the protection of our citizens in Russia?

I believe that the protection of Vietnamese overseas students’ interests has become better. Vietnam always has two employees at the embassy in charge of managing overseas students. Meanwhile, each of other countries has only one staff in charge of this. The employees keep regular contact with the International Cooperation Training Department, providing updated information.

Upon hearing about Binh’s death, Vietnamese Embassy in Russia sent employees to the site. The embassy immediately sent a diplomatic note to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Investigation Agency, under the Russia Procuracy, had opened the case of the murder of the Vietnamese student.

What has MOET done to help protect Vietnamese overseas students besides suggesting that students do not go out late at night and do not go out alone? Has MOET been keeping the close relations with relevant Russian agencies and Russian universities in order to manage overseas students effectively?

MOET just can recommend Vietnamese citizens in overseas countries to focus on studying and do everything to avoid risks.

Not only Vietnamese students, but citizens from other countries in Russia are also facing the same problems. Therefore, I think the conditions of the host country cannot be changed overnight.

The murder of student Binh, which occurred at 7 pm Moscow time, or 11 pm Hanoi time, right in front of the Spanish Embassy proved to be an exceptional and regrettable case.

Lan Huong