Deputy Prime Minister: Education policy for ethnic minority and mountainous areas is relatively comprehensive.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long stated that the Party and State's policies on education in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are relatively comprehensive. We simultaneously enjoy two groups of policies: One is specifically for ethnic minority and mountainous areas; the other is a general education policy.

On the morning of August 26, at the National Assembly House, the Ethnic Council coordinated with the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Training , and the Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions to organize a national workshop on "Innovation and improvement of the quality of education and training in ethnic minority and mountainous areas: Current situation, challenges and solutions".

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long co-chaired the national workshop "Innovation and improvement of education and training quality in ethnic minority and mountainous areas: Current situation, challenges and solutions" - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

This is a strategic issue, directly related to the cause of sustainable development, ensuring social justice, and preserving the great national unity of our country.

Building a Resolution of the National Assembly on the National Target Program on modernization and improving the quality of education and training

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, Chairman of the National Assembly's Council of Ethnic Minorities Lam Van Man, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Social Affairs Nguyen Dac Vinh, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son and Permanent Deputy Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Religions Ho Van Nen co-chaired the workshop.

Also attending were members of the Party Central Committee, leaders of the National Assembly Committees and ministries and agencies; representatives of leaders of ministries, branches, central and local agencies, scientists and teachers.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh noted that recommendations and solutions need to be linked to the context of the National Assembly considering and deciding on many important policies related to this field at the upcoming 10th Session - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh stated that the workshop is an opportunity for parties to propose feasible and breakthrough initiatives, ideas and solutions to overcome current difficulties and shortcomings.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly noted that the recommendations and solutions need to be linked to the context in which the National Assembly is about to consider and decide on many important policies related to this field at the upcoming 10th Session, such as: Draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Education, draft Law on Higher Education (amended) and draft Law on Vocational Education (amended); reviewing the Government's report on the summary of Phase I (2021 - 2025) of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, proposing tasks, solutions and funding for Phase II (2026 - 2030) of the Program. In particular, proposing, developing and promulgating a Resolution of the National Assembly on the National Target Program on Modernization and Improvement of the Quality of Education and Training.

Chairman of the Council of Ethnic Minorities Lam Van Man said that there must be many synchronous and comprehensive solutions, especially in terms of policies and laws, to improve the quality and effectiveness of education and training activities, contributing to building and developing human resources, especially high-quality human resources for the comprehensive socio-economic development needs of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, thereby contributing to strengthening security and defense in important areas of the Fatherland.

Delegates speak at the workshop - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

At the workshop, delegates focused on assessing the current status of policies and laws on education and training in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; and the results of implementing policies and laws on education and training in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

At the same time, propose solutions to remove difficulties and obstacles in practice in recent times, towards equitable access to education for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas; continue to improve policies and laws to improve the quality of education and training in ethnic minority and mountainous areas...

Gradually improve quality, not lower general standards

Speaking at the conclusion of the workshop, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said that this was a very important workshop, discussing issues related to innovation and improving the quality of education and training in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the Party and State's policies on education in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are relatively comprehensive. We simultaneously enjoy two groups of policies: One is specifically for ethnic minority and mountainous areas; the other is a general education policy.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the Party and State's policies on education in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are relatively comprehensive - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

The consistent viewpoint of the Party and State is to create equal opportunities for students in disadvantaged areas to access education, while designing specific mechanisms to gradually improve quality, not lower general standards.

The policy now covers students, teachers and educational administrators; from investment in facilities to support policies. The school system has received investment attention. The Deputy Prime Minister cited figures showing that by 2025, ethnic minority areas will have more than 20,000 schools, an increase of 1,500 schools compared to 2015, of which 109 boarding schools for ethnic minorities have increased. Many boarding schools have achieved a 100% graduation rate; the overall rate is only 1-1.5% lower than the national average. About 60% of boarding school students pass university entrance exams. These are concrete results, demonstrating investment efforts and policies in the right direction.

In addition to achievements, there are still limitations and difficulties. The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that the school network is not uniform, the quality of education is not uniform, the rate of students continuing to study after junior high school is still low compared to the national average. Facilities and teaching equipment are still lacking. In general, students and teachers in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are still disadvantaged compared to other regions in the country.

Review policy

The Deputy Prime Minister said that we currently have quite a few policies, so it is necessary to review policies to avoid duplication and overlap, and at the same time carefully evaluate policies that have been issued but have not been effectively implemented to find the cause - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

Regarding the future direction, the Deputy Prime Minister said that we currently have quite a few policies, so we need to review the policies, avoid duplication and overlap, and carefully evaluate the policies that have been issued but have not been effectively implemented to find the cause. "Is it that we want to invest but do not have enough money, we want to have enough teachers but when we send them to the highlands, we cannot keep them? We cannot persuade students to go to school?", the Deputy Prime Minister asked.

The new policy must be truly groundbreaking. The Deputy Prime Minister said that in the near future, the Politburo will pass a resolution on a number of breakthrough solutions in the development of education and training, including many contents related to investment in education in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. The Deputy Prime Minister cited that we will build 248 more boarding schools in border areas, realize the provision of lunch support for students in some areas, implement the Law on Teachers that has just been passed, and at the same time prepare 3 important bills: the Law on Education, the Law on Higher Education, and the Law on Vocational Education.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that ministries, branches and localities will accept the proposals and review them within their authority to organize implementation - Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

In addition, it is necessary to calculate and re-plan the network of schools scientifically and reasonably, especially in conjunction with the local government at two levels. "There are places where there are excess schools, and places where there are shortages; there are places where the facilities are not guaranteed. We should consider re-planning. Where there are shortages, we will build new ones, and where there are existing ones, we will upgrade them to have a system of schools that meet the requirements," said the Deputy Prime Minister, emphasizing the priority of allocating resources from national target programs. Continue to improve the quality of education through teacher training; especially promote the application of information technology and digital transformation, considering this an important boost to improve the quality of education in disadvantaged areas.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that ministries, branches and localities will absorb the proposals and review them within their authority to organize implementation.

Source: VGP

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