The ratio of Vietnamese disadvantaged children going to school increased to 96.3% in 2009 from 81% in 2003 thanks to a project funded by the World Bank (WB) in the 2003-2010 period. Under the Primary Education for Disadvantaged Children (PEDC) Project, more than 5,500 primary schools with more than 16,000 classrooms have been built in disadvantaged areas in 40 provinces of the country, Dang Tu An, the project director said at a conference in Hanoi Dec 8. The ratio of children finishing primary school in the concerned provinces increased to 85% from 72%, and the ratio of children having to repeat classes decreased to 3.4% from 8%. Only 1% of children dropped out of school this year, compared to 12%in 2006, the director said. The number of disabled children having access to integrated education also increased to 230,000 in 2009 from 80,000 in 2006. The PEDC project was launched in 2003 at a total cost of $243.673 million, of which the World Bank provided loans of $138 million. The remaining was provided as non-fundable aid by other international organizations and Vietnam’s reciprocal capital. (Dat Viet - National Land Dec 9 p7, Nong Thon Ngay Nay - Countryside Today Dec 9 p2)
