Equitable access to education in urban areas

GD&TĐ - Equal educational opportunities are not just a concern for children in mountainous, border, and island areas, but need to be ensured right in the heart of cities, industrial zones, and export processing zones.

In reality, there is another group that is rarely mentioned but faces many barriers in accessing education : the children of workers in industrial zones and export processing zones.

Lack of public educational institutions

The country has approximately 260 active industrial and export processing zones employing 2.8 million workers. However, these zones only have 112 kindergens, meeting only 45% of the childcare needs of the workers.

Dr. Nguyen Hai Huu - Vietnam Association of Vocational Education and Social Work - believes that the shortage of public preschools for the children of factory workers is widespread in most localities with industrial zones. Although the government has issued many policies to develop preschools in areas with a high labor force, the land allocated for education is insufficient, leading to investment in construction not meeting actual needs.

Based on the survey results, Dr. Nguyen Hai Huu found that out of a total of 840 children aged 0-18 from 500 households in 5 industrial zones, 628 children (74.8%) are attending school from preschool to high school. Of these, 52.7% are in preschool/kindergarten; 36.1% in primary school; 9.4% in lower secondary school; and less than 2% in upper secondary school. These figures clearly reflect the narrowing opportunities for children to access education as they progress to higher levels of schooling.

According to Dr. Nguyen Hai Huu's analysis, the policy system for children in general is quite comprehensive, from nurseries, kindergartens, and preschools to primary and secondary schools. However, for migrant children, policies mainly focus on the preschool level; while at the primary, lower secondary, and especially upper secondary levels, there is still a certain degree of discrimination between migrant children and local children. This leads to the reality that the higher the educational level, the more difficult it is for migrant children to access public education services.

Students of Tu Lien Primary School (Hong Ha, Hanoi ). Photo: TG

Shortage of childcare facilities.

One of the biggest challenges is the shortage of childcare facilities within industrial zones. In their residential areas, public schools are often overcrowded, making enrollment difficult; while private schools have high fees, beyond the reach of many working-class families.

At the primary and secondary school levels, the enrollment of migrant children also faces obstacles as public schools in densely populated areas become overcrowded. Enrollment regulations in some areas create disadvantages for children of migrant workers. As a result, many children are placed in classes with larger class sizes or classes specifically for temporary residents, affecting their academic performance and integration into society.

For high school level, the barriers are even greater. Due to strict admission regulations and enrollment quotas based on household registration, most children from migrant worker families in industrial zones find it very difficult to access public schools. Meanwhile, tuition fees at private schools at this level are too high. Therefore, the majority of high school-aged children are forced to return to their hometowns to study, disrupting their education and impacting their family lives.

The shortage of land for school construction, the pressure of population growth in industrial zones, and the difficult economic conditions of workers are increasing the challenges of accessing education for migrant children. According to experts, to ensure equal educational opportunities, policies need to shift strongly towards inclusiveness, prioritizing the children of workers, instead of focusing only on children in disadvantaged, mountainous, or island areas as before.

According to a survey by Professor Dang Nguyen Anh of the Institute of Sociology, there is a shortage of preschools and kindergartens in industrial zones. Currently, only 45% of the needs of migrant workers in these areas are met. Meanwhile, children from migrant families attend private schools at higher costs because household registration and temporary residence permits are difficult for this group. Furthermore, household registration/residence registration status is a major barrier to access the public education system for migrant workers.

Based on research findings assessing access to and equity in education for children in industrial zones and export processing zones, Professor Dr. Le Anh Vinh, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, observed that education in these areas faces numerous challenges. These zones are home to a large concentration of migrant worker families, leading to a significant demand for educational services.

According to the research group's policy overview report, in major cities, immigrant children account for up to 92% of the 5-year-old group and 86.4% of the primary school-age group. This proportion gives rise to many problems, most notably a shortage of socio-economic infrastructure, including the school system. The provision of educational services has not kept pace with the rate of population growth, making it difficult for many working families to send their children to school, leading to inequality in educational opportunities and an increased financial burden.

In reality, investment in educational facilities in urban and industrial zones in many localities is still incomplete and lacks coordination. Limited resources mean that public schools cannot keep up with demand, while private schools are too expensive for most working-class families. This creates an urgent need for policies and resources to ensure equitable access to education for immigrant children.

Students of Duc Hop High School (Hung Yen). Photo: TG

The "gaps" that need filling

Emphasizing that social security is a crucial and essential issue, Associate Professor Dr. Le Manh Hung, Rector of the Vietnam Trade Union University, affirmed that a sound social security policy is a great driving force to unleash the creative potential of the people. However, alongside the important achievements, ensuring social security in our country still has "gaps," the coverage of the social security system is not high, and the target group is still narrow.

There remains a group of workers who are restricted in their access to social services and do not fully enjoy their legal rights and benefits from the social security system: migrant workers, including both domestic and international migrants. Therefore, the urgent challenge is to quickly improve social security policies for migrant workers, especially in the context of current globalization and international integration.

Based on the above practical experience, National Assembly delegates believe that when implementing the National Target Program for modernization and improvement of education and training quality in the period 2026-2035, it is necessary to clearly identify the children of workers as a priority group for support, rather than including them in a general group. At the 10th session of the 15th National Assembly, during the plenary discussion, delegate Nguyen Hoang Bao Tran (from Ho Chi Minh City delegation) raised the issue of equality in access to educational opportunities not only in mountainous areas but also in urban areas.

According to her, for many years, when discussing educational challenges, we often mention remote areas and islands, but there is another group that is rarely mentioned but faces equally significant difficulties: the children of workers in industrial zones and export processing zones.

On the surface, these children live in urban areas, near the city center, seemingly enjoying more favorable conditions, but in reality, the lives of factory workers are still difficult: cramped rented rooms, inadequate living conditions, parents working constant overtime, unstable incomes, and insufficient time to care for and support their children's education.

Based on her assessment of the situation, delegate Nguyen Hoang Bao Tran observed that most families live in rented rooms of 10-12 square meters, leaving children without sufficient space for studying, social interaction, and access to extracurricular activities. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly identify the children of working-class families as a priority group for support, rather than including them in a general group of vulnerable individuals.

Ms. Tran also suggested that, in addition to prioritizing scholarship policies, support should be given to building public schools near industrial zones because many areas concentrate tens of thousands of workers but suffer from a severe shortage of schools, forcing children to travel long distances to school and resulting in overcrowded classrooms. She also proposed a flexible boarding school model for the children of workers; and "study and activity rooms" located within the workers' housing areas to provide children with a stable learning environment and protect them from unsafe conditions.

"We cannot allow a large segment of the children of the core workforce of the economy to suffer from disadvantaged educational opportunities. Educational equity is not just a matter of mountainous or lowland regions, but also of equity within industrial cities," Ms. Tran said.

Dr. Nguyen Hai Huu recommended that amendments be made to ensure equal rights between migrant and non-migrant children. There should be no distinction between children temporarily residing and those permanently residing at the national and local levels. Furthermore, policies regulating the planning and implementation of industrial zones and export processing zones should be revised, mandating the inclusion of nurseries and kindergartens to care for the children of workers, thereby facilitating shift work for employees.

Socio-economic development planning in localities with industrial zones and export processing zones needs to take into account migrant workers and their children in the development and provision of social services, including the allocation of local budgets, housing, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

On the other hand, it is necessary to strengthen communication efforts to raise awareness among workers regarding the realization of children's rights to access quality education and healthcare services, as well as maternal care. Along with this, there is a need for proactive and effective support measures for workers and their children residing in the area to access social services in general, especially education, healthcare, and housing.

Therefore, the children of migrant workers are facing many disadvantages in accessing early childhood education, as well as the right to care and recreation. Due to a shortage of nurseries and kindergartens serving the children of workers and local residents, many private and non-governmental preschools have opened for migrant workers to send their children to. However, not every family can afford to send their children to these educational facilities. Many young couples often send their children back to their hometowns to be cared for by their grandparents.

Professor Le Anh Vinh stated that the research group of the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences has proposed solutions to address difficulties and shortcomings in ensuring equitable access to education for immigrant children in industrial zones and export processing zones. Accordingly, it is necessary to strengthen and invest in educational infrastructure, planning, financial support and tuition fees, and ensure a sufficient teaching staff and quality of instruction.

In addition, policies are needed regarding housing for migrant families, the development of inclusive school models, inter-sectoral coordination, public-private partnerships, the improvement of institutions and policies, and increased decentralization coupled with accountability, along with monitoring and evaluation.

Ms. Le Anh Lan, Education Specialist at UNICEF Vietnam, affirmed that UNICEF will work closely with the Ministry of Education and Training and relevant agencies to provide Vietnamese children with the best learning opportunities and equal rights to education. This includes ensuring all children have access to school and narrowing the regional gap in education among Vietnamese children.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/cong-bang-tiep-can-giao-duc-giua-long-do-thi-post761357.html