World Bank steps up support for Vietnam’s higher
education

The World Bank and the State Bank of Vietnam on Thursday
signed a financing agreement and related legal documents for the Higher
Education Development Policy Credit valued at US$50 million.

The credit is provided by the International Development
Association, the arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries.

The program as a whole is designed to support
implementation of the Vietnamese government’s higher education reform agenda.
This operation aims to strengthen governance and accountability, rationalize
financing, improve quality of teaching and research, and enhance transparency in
financial management within the higher education sector.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Ms. Victoria Kwakwa, the
World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, said: “Further progress in access to,
and quality of education and training at all levels is critical for achieving
Vietnam’s development objectives and in particular its objective to build the
skills needed to raise the competitiveness of its economy.”

HCM City plans US$135 mln for pre-schools in 5 years

Ho Chi Minh City plans to set aside about VND2,700 billion
(US$135 million) for developing its pre-school system between now and 2015.

Under the plans, the city’s government will build 760
classrooms, and train thousands of teachers, both working and new ones.

The city will ensure that 100% of under-5 children to go to
school with two class sessions a day by 2013.

Among them, the local authorities will allocate priority
funds in the construction of six national standard kindergartens in rural areas
including Ly Nhon Commune in Can Gio District, Nhon Duc in Nha Be, Tan Nhut in
Binh Chanh, Xuan Thoi Thuong in Hoc Mon, Tan Thong Hoi and Thai My in Cu Chi;
and other pre-schools in 12 wards in districts consisting of 4, 6, Phu Nhuan, Go
Vap, Binh Tan, Tan Phu; and in industrial and export processing zones.

In addition, the city’s government also guides the
Department of Education and Training to cooperate with the Labor Union in asking
industrial and export processing zones to build kindergartens for workers’
children.

Denmark to fund art education in primary schools in
Vietnam

The government of Denmark approved a fund of 3.900,000 DKK
(USD692) for the promotion of art education in primary schools in Vietnam.

Pham Vu Luan, Minister of Education and Training and John
Nielsen, Ambassador of Denmark December 14 signed an agreement which provides
Danish support for arts education in primary schools in Vietnam from 2011 –
2015.

An earlier pilot project implementing a new approach to
arts education in six different provinces in Northern Vietnam has been
tremendously successful.

Support to Arts Education in Primary Schools has brought a
new learner centred approach to develop the creative skills of Vietnamese
children. This method focuses on a child’s cognitive thinking and draws active
participation.

The aim of the new program is to apply new methods and
materials in primary schools in Vietnam and develop a focused approach towards
art education in primary schools. The program would follow a national curriculum
of art education in primary schools which would be more learner-focused.

The signing of the agreement comes after a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) which was signed by the Vietnamese and Danish minister of
education and training. The MoU signifies the broad scale of educational
activities between Vietnam and Denmark.

During the signing ceremony, Mr. Pham Vu Luan expressed his
pleasure with the results of the early phase of the project and hoped that this
innovative approach towards teaching could be applied in other subjects in
schools in future.

The Danish Ambassador John Nielsen stated that the first
phase of the project had been highly successful and that he was pleased to see
that the agreement added another milestone to the increasing cooperation between
Vietnam and Denmark in the field of education.

HCMC to force investors to construct educational
institutions

The People’s Committee will force investors to build
educational, healthcare, and entertainment facilities in a plan for new
residential blocks, said Hua Ngoc Thuan, vice chairperson of the Ho Chi Minh
City government.

After several cases of children of workers being
mistreated, governments have paid more attention to the construction of
pre-schools in all industrial parks and zones, even those districts without
educational institutions.

Mr. Thuan told Sai Gon Giai Phong journalist that the city
has ordered the construction of 15 public pre-schools educational facilities for
children.

In addition, HCMC is the first city in the country to
implement special policies for teachers with regard to pre-schools.

Mr. Thuan said that however due to our large population,
the city cannot meet the demands of any more facilities.

In addition, businesses from the industrial parks in the
city, which employ many female workers, must also help the government build more
schools for children.

When planning and constructing industrial parks, the city
have always ensured that educational and medical facilities are also built.
However, local governments have not always been enforcing these practices, and
many enterprises have not followed building requirements.

Mr. Thuan said in article 116 of the Labor law, it states
that all employers must build pre-schools or least give financial assistance to
female workers that have children in their companies.

After a tour of some of industrial parks and processing
zones in the city, Mr. Thuan directed the Department of Education and Training
and the Management Board of these industrial parks and processing zones in the
city to construct more pre-schools and places where trees can be planted in the
parks.

According to Mr. Thuan, investment in education should not
be just for profit only, but a way of helping its female employees.

The city will give support to the construction of these
facilities in the attempt to reduce pressure on new populated residential areas,
where there is a serious shortage of pre-schools.

He hopes that all investors and parents contribute, with
the government, in the construction of high quality suitable schools.

‘Thuy’s Dream’ motivates students in schools

The weekly flag raising ceremony every Monday in schools
has enthused many students in Ho Chi Minh City.

The ceremony held in high schools such as Marie Curie in
District 3 and Nguyen Du in District 10 recently, has left a deep impression on
students.

The ceremony is held under a program called ‘Thuy’s Dream’
initiated by Tuoi Tre Newspaper. This program was created to help and support
pediatric cancer patients. It is dedicated to the memory and spirit of the late
high school student Le Thanh Thuy, who died of bone cancer in 2007. Thuy was
awarded the HCMC Outstanding Young Citizens award in 2006.

Many students were moved to tears as they listened to a
letter that Thuy had written to her parents thanking them for their love and
care, as she struggled against cancer and her longing to come back to school.

The story of Thuy has aroused many students to live better
and more meaningful lives. It is a sensitive and inspiring story of courage,
human values and a profound understanding of life.

Many students have been encouraged to register as
volunteers for the program. The City’s schools have also supported the
organizing of such a weekly flag raising ceremony and bring school children to
understand the ideals of Thuy.

Students in Nguyen Thai Binh High School in Tan Binh
District and Bach Dang Secondary School in District 3 have also participated in
general knowledge quizzes and brief stories by their headmasters.

Deputy headmaster of Nguyen Du High School, Pham Duc Hung,
suggested that schools should vary their topics for discussion in order to make
it interesting for students. According to him topics such as future careers,
family values, relationships and loyalty to country could be both interesting
and inspiring for students.

PV