Educational managers, specialists and other stakeholders gathered today at a workshop in Hanoi to discuss the best ways to improve education for ethnic minority children from mountainous regions in Vietnam. The workshop organized by Save the Children and the Ministry of Education and Trainings aimed to review and evaluate the project :“Improving quality basic education for ethnic minority children in three mountainous provinces in Vietnam”, which was funded by Japanese Social Development Fund, via the World Bank since 2009. With a total budget of $1,809,000, the project's goal was to support children from ethnic minority communities in three districts: Muong Cha in Dien Bien, Van Chan in Yen Bai and Huong Hoa in Quang Tri to complete a quality primary education and continue their education in lower secondary school. Muong Cha, Van Chan and Huong Hoa districts are among the most impoverished areas in Vietnam. Most of the selected communities consist of ethnic minorities, but children are often taught by Vietnamese teachers who cannot communicate in their students’ mother tongue. In these districts the standard of schools was low, with poor sanitation facilities, lack of teaching materials and little support from family and community in the learning process. The majority of textbooks were not tailored to the unique experiences and language of ethnic minority children in these areas, which led to a low rate of primary school enrollment and completion. With a long experience with education in ethnic minority areas, Save the Children provided diversified training in students' mother tongue as well as bilingual-based education, teaching Vietnamese as second language. They also provide active and child-centered teaching methods for teachers to help children who do not speak Vietnamese as their first language to understand better and actively participate in the class activities. The organization initiated different activities including the upgrade of school facilities and community support in creating a child-friendly environment for the children so they enjoy learning at school as well as in their communities. “The project has provided teachers with teaching skills that make ethnic minority children more confident in learning and enjoy their classes, which in turn helps them maintain regular school attendance,” said education specialist of Van Chan Education Office of Yen Bai Province, Bui Kim Dong. “Save the Children has always stood side by side with the Ministry of Education and Training and the other international organizations to improve the quality of education for ethnic minority children”, said Save the Children’s Program Development and Technical Assistant Nguyen Thi Bich. Save the Children also helped to produce teaching tools such as visual aids with 82 series of contextual text books and 9 series supportive teaching videos for educators and teachers to continue interactive teaching methods when the project is complete. It expects this approach to education for ethnic minority children to be replicated in different parts of the country where there is a high percentage of ethnic minorities. It is also hoped that the lessons and experiences shared at the workshop will help policy makers and educators work out suitable plans for the future. (dtinews.vn May 30)
