Promoting the effectiveness of ethnic boarding schools, improving the quality of education in difficult areas

Strengthening the network and improving the quality of ethnic boarding education

In An Giang , the network of ethnic boarding schools is quite complete, widely developed to communes, wards, and special zones, basically meeting the learning needs of students. The planning of the network and scale of ethnic boarding schools is considered reasonable, suitable for local conditions.

Mr. Tran Quang Bao - Director of the Department of Education and Training of An Giang province said that the whole province has 9 ethnic boarding schools that have been recognized as meeting national standards. Of which, there are 2 ethnic boarding high schools with 27 classes, 917 students, 7 ethnic boarding middle schools with 68 classes, 2,264 students.

Boarding schools for ethnic minorities are arranged reasonably, in accordance with the natural, economic and political characteristics of the locality, concentrated in localities with a large number of ethnic minorities (Khmer, Cham, Chinese) or border areas.

Most of the managers and teachers have met the training standards and are fully trained to meet the 2018 General Education Program. The quality of education and the graduation rate of ethnic boarding schools are high, many schools are leading the province, affirming their position as leading schools in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The Department of Education and Training has implemented correctly, sufficiently, and promptly the policies and regimes for teachers, students, and educational institutions in ethnic minority and particularly disadvantaged areas. These policies have motivated children of ethnic minorities to excel in their studies and training.

Regarding difficulties and shortcomings, Mr. Tran Quang Bao said that the implementation of the admission plan based on the ratio in the commune is particularly difficult, leading to students with low test scores still being admitted, affecting the quality of education. There are still students who are admitted but do not enroll due to many reasons.

The enrollment area of ethnic boarding schools is increasingly narrowed due to regulations on permanent residence and settlement of 3 years or more in especially difficult areas, causing students in some island communes to no longer be eligible for enrollment.

Ethnic minority students have difficulty adapting to the tightly managed boarding environment and living away from their families, leading to stress and affecting their academic performance.

Some remote areas lack stable network infrastructure and many parents have limited technology skills, making it difficult to deploy online enrollment software.

According to Mr. Tran Quang Bao, in these schools, the addition of facilities corresponding to the increase in student numbers is still slow. Local budgets are facing difficulties, so they cannot invest 100% of the minimum teaching equipment as prescribed. Schools still lack dormitories (area), toilets, restrooms, clean water facilities and standard communal kitchens.

Most ethnic boarding schools do not have permanent Khmer language teachers due to difficulties in opening training classes. There is also a shortage of staff, making it difficult to care for and nurture students.

An Giang Ethnic Boarding High School was inaugurated in 2017.

Proposing specific policies to remove difficulties and create sustainable changes

To improve the quality of ethnic boarding schools, the Director of the Department of Education and Training of An Giang proposed that the Government continue to pay attention and increase funding to implement the National Target Program for ethnic boarding schools and semi-boarding schools compared to the period 2021-2025.

At the same time, diversify training forms, ensuring they are suitable to the conditions and needs of learners and ethnic minority cadres, such as on-site training, online training, semi-boarding, boarding training, etc. Link recruitment and planning work with training and fostering human resources for ethnic minorities.

Students are provided with travel expenses at the regular public transport fare twice a year (both outbound and return) to visit their families during Tet and summer vacations.

Regarding enrollment, Mr. Tran Quang Bao proposed increasing the scale and expanding the enrollment area for ethnic boarding schools to meet the demand for student numbers while still maintaining input quality.

Regarding facilities and equipment, Mr. Tran Quang Bao hopes to continue to prioritize funding from the National Target Program and medium-term public investment in the 2026-2030 period to build more classrooms, department rooms, dormitories and other auxiliary works. The competent authority shall allocate funding from the National Target Program in the 2026-2030 period to the An Giang Education and Training sector at a higher level than in the 2021-2025 period to purchase and provide additional minimum teaching equipment.

Regarding the team of managers, teachers and staff, Mr. Tran Quang Bao recommended that the Ministry of Education and Training soon issue economic and technical standards so that localities have a legal basis to order universities to open Khmer language teacher training classes according to regulations. Strengthen training and professional development, organize more in-depth and practical training courses for teachers, focusing on integrated subjects, new teaching methods and using technology in teaching.

Along with that, recruit and allocate teachers reasonably, prioritize teachers with experience and teaching skills in remote schools, encourage the recruitment of local teachers. Have policies to support and encourage teachers to work in ethnic boarding schools (allowances, accommodation support, living conditions).

Regarding student support and education management, the Director of the Department of Education and Training of An Giang Province said that it is necessary to increase language support for students by organizing Vietnamese language supplementary classes for ethnic minority students. Encourage extracurricular activities, learning clubs, and soft skills education programs to help students develop self-study, problem-solving, and communication skills. Expand scholarship programs and financial support for students in difficult circumstances. The Department of Education and Training will strengthen supervision and support in implementing the 2018 General Education Program and specific educational content...

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