The Hau Giang Provincial Department of Education and Training in the Mekong Delta took steps to lower student drop-out rates in the 2014-2015 school year's second semester. Nguyen Hung Nhien, deputy head of the Hau Giang Department of Education and Training, said families' disadvantageous situations and students dispirited by their poor academic performances were the two main factors contributing to the province's drop-out rate. During the first semester, from September to December, about 700 students in the province dropped out of school. Secondary and high schools students, particularly in mountainous and remote areas, often chose to quit school to help their parents farm or raise other siblings. Nhien said students were often dissuaded from continuing because schools didn't make teaching quality or helping students with below-average performances a priority, and instead focused on maintaining high attendance rates. Parents, too busy making a living, also failed to co-operate with teachers to keep an eye on their children's performance at school. The provincial department urged local organizations and enterprises to continue to provide support to schools across the province by establishing education funds and granting financial support to students from poor families. When students drop out, schools are required to make home visits to discuss the situation with parents and seek solutions to help children reenroll. Vo Van Hung, a student at Vi Thanh High School for Gifted Students, stopped attending classes and started working to support his grandmother, whom he was living with after his parents' divorce. Teachers at Vi Thanh High School raised money and found Hung a part-time job after school so he could continue his education. In addition, the department ordered schools to encourage students to join study groups or learn from tutors after school. Some students who received support after dropping out last semester have come back to school. (Vietnam News Mar 7)
