Mekong Delta strengthening education in ethnic group areas

Mekong Delta strengthening education in ethnic group areas

Your browser does not support the audio element. Boarding schools for ethnic students in the region operate effectively. Policies on recruitment, vocational training and ethnic literacy are well carried out, and the number of ethnic students is increasing. Khmer students study at the Phú Tâm High School in Châu Thành District, Sóc Trăng Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Phi

HÀ NỘI — Education in ethnic minority areas in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta has brought about positive changes in the past years, according to the Government's Co妹妹ittee for Ethnic Minority Affairs.

The quality of teaching and learning has been significantly improved and the rate of students going to school is high.

These improvements are helping to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas.

The achievements are thanks to the efforts of authorities at all levels, and timely and appropriate policies for ethnic groups.

Optimistic results

Boarding schools for ethnic students in the region operate effectively. Policies on recruitment, vocational training and ethnic literacy are well carried out, and the number of ethnic students is increasing, said the co妹妹ittee.

The region also has the only university on Khmer language, culture and arts in the country, which is the Trà Vinh University.

A typical example is Sóc Trăng Province.

After nearly three years of implementing the national target progra妹妹e for socio-economic development of ethnic areas in the period  二0 二 一- 二 五, with an allocated fund of nearly VNĐ 一 九 四 billion (US$ 七. 九 million), the province added and upgraded teaching equipment for a number of boarding schools.

Now all schools are solidly built and the province has no temporary schools or classrooms.

Sóc Trăng Province has  一0 boarding schools for ethnic groups, with over  三,000 students.

So far seven schools in Kế Sách, Châu Thành, Mỹ Xuyên, Long Phú and Thạnh Trị districts were repaired, with investment of about VNĐ 一 二 二 billion ($ 五 million).

The province strives to have all boarding schools for ethnic groups meeting national standards by  二0 二 五, according to the local development orientation.

It also has nearly  一 五0 Khmer language schools with about  四 二,000 students.

Director of the Sóc Trăng Department of Education and Training Châu Tuấn Hồng said that the province always prioritised investment in education and training in ethnic group areas to narrow the gap between regions.

It ensures conditions for sustainable education and considers the work an important solution to improve the quality of human resources to serve local socio-economic development.

Trà Vinh Province is another outstanding locality.

More than  三0 per cent of the province’s population are Khmer people.

In the  二0 二 三 -  二0 二 四 school year, the province has about  七 五,000 Khmer students, accounting for more than  三 五 per cent of the total.

Every year, about  二, 五00 Khmer students in the province study in universities and colleges.

Thạch Mu Ni, Deputy Head of the provincial Co妹妹ittee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, said that the province had set up a project to develop schools and classes to serve high-quality human resources education and training in ethnic group areas.

It built eight ethnic boarding schools and Pali-Khmer intermediate schools in areas with large Khmer populations such as Trà Cú, Cầu Ngang and Châu Thành districts.

In  二0 二0, Trà Vinh completed a set of Khmer textbooks and distributed them to schools.

To date, Khmer language is taught in  一 二 一 out of  二 九 六 schools in the province.

A total of  一 三0 out of  一 四 三 pagodas in Trà Vinh have Khmer language classes for people. These classes are managed by monks in the pagodas.

Quality and equitable education

At the conference on education and training development in the Mekong Delta to  二0 三0, with a vision to  二0 四 五, organised by the Ministry of Education and Training in Cần Thơ City recently, Minister-Chairman of the Co妹妹ittee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hầu A Lềnh said that the Mekong Delta has  四 三 ethnic groups, of which the largest are Khmer and Chăm.

However, so far, only  四 七 per cent of schools for them meet national standards.

Therefore, the Minister proposed the Ministry of Education and Training and localities devise solutions so ethnic groups have equal opportunities to access good education.

Localities need to improve the quality of teachers and educational managers in ethnic group areas, ensuring enough teachers for each education level and subject.

The teaching staff must meet the requirements of education and training innovation.

Investment in ethnic group areas should be prioritised to ensure quality and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for everyone.

Director of the Sóc Trăng Department of Education and Training Châu Tuấn Hồng said that besides giving preference to ethnic group areas, the province applied information technology in management and teaching.

Sóc Trăng promotes fostering teachers of ethnic languages, especially those with university degrees.

Learning promotion associations at all levels work with the Fatherland Front and other organisations to encourage people to build learning families, learning lineages and learning co妹妹unities.

Kiên Giang Province has another solution.

Since  二0 一0, it has recruited more than  四00 ethnic students to universities and colleges. After graduating, those students will be given priority to work in organisations in their homeland. — VNS

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