The highland provinces of Vietnam are continuing to help students coming from very poor families and those from ethnic minority groups to start their studies in the new academic year. Kon Tum Province has spent more than VND14 billion ($672,000) on purchasing three million textbooks and notebooks to provide to students of ethnic minority groups in the province. For the new academic year, the province has 375 pre-schools, primaries, junior and senior schools and special schools for ethnic minority groups. Students in Ca Mau Province come to schools on boats. Ca Mau Province calls for social contributions to support ferry fee for poor students and students from families in top welfare brackets and from ethnic minority groups. With 677 schools for more than 308,650 students, Lam Dong Province spent some VND300 billion ($14 million) on upgrading and building 250 more classrooms for the new school year. The province also invested VND4 billion ($192,000) on buying textbooks and notebooks to give to students from ethnic minority groups and low income families coming from far away districts. The province leaders agreed to support studying expenses for 721 students who are pursuing education in day-care centers in remote districts like Lac Duong, Dam Rong and Lam Ha. Dak Nong Province gave ethnic minority students textbooks and notebooks worth VND9 billion ($432,000) to prepare for the new school year. The province also spent a lot of money on fixing and building 658 new classrooms so as to do away with the three shift system. More than 308,000 ethnic minority students were also supplied free textbooks, notebooks and essential items for studying. Gia Lai Province organized two pilot classes for ethnic minority students in specially-gifted senior high schools Hung Vuong and Pleiku in a bid to raise learning in the students. The Mekong delta province of Ca Mau will continue to call for social contributions to support ferry fee for poor students and students from families in top welfare brackets and from ethnic minority groups. So far the province has invested VND29 billion ($1,392,000) for building 81 new classrooms. (www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn [1] Sept 7)
