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Mong ethnic minority children go to school in Suoi Giang Commune in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai
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Children whose parents cannot afford to send them to school are the target of an education awareness campaign sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Training and UNESCO this week. Poverty prevents nearly 10 per cent of primary school-aged children from attending classes, according to 2002 UNESCO figures.
Education ministry officials, National Assembly representatives and local authorities will this week visit schools, and impress on the children the importance of school and the rights of children to be educated. The children will point out to officials which families do not send their children to school, particularly any young girls who are kept at home. "Kindergarten services, free and compulsory education for primary school-aged children and eradicating gender inequalities in education are our targets to achieve by 2015," the Minister for Education and Training, Nguyen Minh Hien, said. Hien said the ministry was compiling a detailed education action plan until 2015 following the Government’s approval of an overall plan of education for the country. UNESCO is helping Viet Nam develop its education system. The UN agency has called for investment in pre-school education, primary education, junior high education and adult education. "By 2015, 100 per cent of children of pre-school age should go to kindergarten, and the number of students enrolled in primary and junior high education should increase nationwide," Hien said. The ministry’s national education plan focuses on developing adult education and community-based learning centres. UNESCO representative in Viet Nam, Chu Shiu-kee, said Viet Nam’s model of community-based learning centres was greatly valued by his organisation
VNCG-VDC1 - (23/04/2004)
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