Nghe An considers issuing policies to support students and schools at ethnic minority boarding schools

Students of Tri Le Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities (Que Phong). Photo: Thanh Duy

Accordingly, for students studying at 53 ethnic boarding schools, Nghe An province is considering support. At each level, students are provided with blankets, mosquito nets and other personal items at a cost of VND 864,000/student;

At the same time, each school year, students are provided with 2 sets of uniforms and school supplies including: notebooks, paper, pens and other learning tools at a cost of 864,000 VND/student/school year.

The proposal of this policy aims to create conditions for students to have the opportunity to go to school, study with peace of mind, and reduce the situation of students dropping out of school due to family economic difficulties.

Thereby, increasing the rate of student mobilization in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, contributing to the development of generaleducation equally among regions, firmly maintaining and improving the results of universal primary education and universal lower secondary education.

As for schools that organize meals and accommodation for boarding students in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the province is considering supporting 5 policy groups including:

Financial support for ethnic minority boarding schools; schools that organize meals and accommodation for boarding students, with a maximum of no more than 6 periods/class/week, no more than 35 weeks/school year, with a support level of 180,000 VND/period;

Financial support for additional purchases and repairs of dining and kitchen utensils at a rate of 144,000 VND/student/school year.

Support the cost of purchasing textbooks so that each student can borrow a set of textbooks for each class. Every year, the school is supported with 200,000 VND/student/school year to purchase an additional 10% of the total number of textbooks in the school library;

Support funding for making student cards and personal badges, admission work at the beginning of the school year, and final exams at a rate of 144,000 VND/student/school year.

Support electricity and water bills for studying and living of boarding students at the rate of 15KW of electricity/month/student and 3m3 of water/month/student according to local regulations and for 9 months/school year.

Teachers, students and people of Tri Le commune, Que Phong district at an event held at Tri Le Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities, Que Phong. Photo: Thanh Duy

Currently, ethnic boarding schools have received financial support from the Provincial People's Committee to organize two sessions per day. The quality of education in ethnic boarding schools has increased significantly when implementing that policy.

At the same time, ethnic boarding schools are also supported with electricity and water bills according to Circular 109/2009/TTLT/BTC-BGDDT dated May 29, 2009 of the Ministry of Finance - Ministry of Education and Training. Accordingly, schools are supported with an average of 25KW/month/student for lighting and supported with domestic water bills, an average of ^4m3 of water/month/student according to local regulations, provided with in-kind items such as: cotton blankets, mosquito nets, cotton shirts, mats, long-sleeved uniforms..., and supported with school supplies (12 types).

As for ethnic minority boarding schools, although the name is ethnic minority boarding schools, the organization and operation of these schools are no different from those of ethnic minority boarding schools. Ethnic minority boarding students also live and eat at the school.

Therefore, if we are supported with electricity and water bills; additional purchases and repairs of dining and kitchen utensils; and additional textbooks for the school library so that each student can borrow them, it will reduce the difficulties for schools with ethnic minority boarding students.

In addition, Decision 3279/QD-UBND dated October 24, 2022 of the Provincial People's Committee on approving the project "Developing education in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in Nghe An province for the period 2022-2025, with a vision to 2030" allows the pilot implementation of a new model of ethnic boarding schools, including the implementation of enhanced programs: foreign languages, information technology, STEM education, life skills, and life values.

For localities with favorable conditions, these enhanced programs are implemented in a socialized manner, with schools collecting fees from students according to the norms prescribed in Resolution No. 31/2021/NQ-HDND dated December 13, 2021 of the Provincial People's Council. However, for particularly difficult areas, collecting fees from parents is very difficult and there is no money to pay for this program. Only when the state budget supports funding sources can it be implemented.

Currently, the above policies are being consulted by the People's Committee of Nghe An province before being finalized and submitted to the Provincial People's Council for consideration and promulgation, expected at the mid-2024 session.

As of December 31, 2023, Nghe An province has 1,507 schools with 26,536 classes and 894,351 students.

Ethnic minority and mountainous areas have 655 schools with 9,836 classes and 302,962 students; of which the system of ethnic minority boarding schools and boarding schools has 143 schools with 2,434 classes and 75,229 students.

The rate of ethnic minority boarding schools and schools with boarding students accounts for 14.79% of the total number of schools in the province; and 33.18% of the total number of schools in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/nghe-an-xem-xet-ban-hanh-chinh-sach-ho-tro-hoc-sinh-nha-truong-tai-cac-truong-pho-thong-dan-toc-ban-tru-post286166.html