UNESCO and partners join hands to promote education for ethnic minority girls in Vietnam

The event was organized by the UNESCO Office in Vietnam, in coordination with the Department of Teachers and Educational Managers ( Ministry of Education and Training ), the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, CJ Group and representatives of the Ethnic Committee, provinces under the project, Ngay Nay Magazine and other UNESCO partners.

UNESCO and partners continue to commit to promoting gender equality andeducation for girls in Vietnam. (Photo: Le An)

In Vietnam, ethnic minority communities often face more difficulties than other populations due to prejudices and cultural barriers. Despite progress in universalizing basic education, ethnic minority children, especially girls, are still at higher risk of dropping out of school than other groups of children.

The “We are ABLE” project was initiated to contribute to solving this problem. With the slogan “Towards a Better Living and Education” abbreviated as “ABLE”, the project affirms the belief in the ability to overcome challenges and difficulties of ethnic minority children, especially girls.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Justine Sass, Head of Gender and Inclusion in Education at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, emphasized: “Education is a powerful tool for empowerment because it can address barriers, stigma and gender-based discrimination that prevent learners from exercising their right to education and opportunities in life, work and future orientation.

We must harness the power of education to unlock the potential of learners and respect their diversity, and transform educational institutions to achieve social justice, equality and inclusion."

Phase II of the “We Can” project will be implemented in Cao Bang , Kon Tum and Ninh Thuan provinces, with the aim of further empowering ethnic minority youth, especially girls and young women in boarding secondary schools and surrounding areas, to overcome prejudice, speak up and act for their dreams, hopes and aspirations in education.

UNESCO Representative in Vietnam Christian Manhart speaks at the event. (Photo: Le An)

Phase II will build skills and foundations, promote an enabling environment for student-led communication and advocacy activities, and strengthen the Government’s commitment to education for ethnic minority children and youth, especially girls.

The Ministry of Education and Training will continue to be the main partner in implementing the project together with UNESCO, while the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, a new partner of the project, will support student-led communication and advocacy activities and promote girls’ education through community outreach, local and central forums. Ngay Nay magazine will reinforce the project’s communication activities.

Mr. Christian Manhart, UNESCO Representative in Vietnam, shared: “The project is expected to contribute to the Vietnamese Government's Education Development Strategy for 2021-2030, the Ethnic Affairs Strategy and the country's commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 4 on Education and Goal 5 on Gender Equality”.

At the ceremony, Mr. Vu Minh Duc, Director, Department of Teachers and Educational Managers, Ministry of Education and Training and Ms. Be Thi Hong Van, Deputy Director, Department of Ethnic Policy, Ethnic Committee, expressed their gratitude to UNESCO and other partners of the project.

Mr. Vu Minh Duc also requested the Departments of Education and Training of Cao Bang, Kon Tum and Ninh Thuan provinces to continue directing the implementation of project activities to achieve the same results as in phase I.

Korean singer Isaac Hong performed and interacted at the event. (Photo: Le An)

In addition, CJ Group continues to be the main sponsor in Phase II of the project. Ms. Hee Kyung Jo Min, Vice President of CJ CheiJedang - Director of Social Contribution Programs of CJ CheilJedang in Korea, also shared:

“The success of the first project despite the Covid-19 pandemic is thanks to the enthusiastic participation of not only students but also teachers, parents, the community and the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training,” he said. “We will also do our best to help more children access education without discrimination and develop into talents who will lead the future of Vietnam based on CJ’s sharing philosophy.”

At the event, two famous Korean and Vietnamese singers, Isaac Hong and Phuong My Chi, performed a number of songs as a call for public attention to support the project's efforts in educating ethnic minority girls.

Young singer Phuong My Chi spread the project's message when participating in the event. (Photo: Le An)

Phase I of the project is implemented by UNESCO from 2019-2022, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ethnic Minorities Committee, funded by the UNESCO Malala Fund for Girls' Right to Education with financial and technical support from CJ Group.

The project focused on implementation in 12 districts in three provinces: Ha Giang, Ninh Thuan and Soc Trang and has been successful in meeting the expected outputs to increase access to education and retention of girls, especially ethnic minority girls, and create better employment opportunities for ethnic minority girls and women.

Phase I of the project reached 16,296 students (including 8,021 girls). In 24 project schools, among ethnic minority students, enrolment rates increased from 62% to 67%, dropout rates decreased from 3.8% to 2.9%, and transition rates to secondary school increased from 69.7% to 76.7%. 2,136 teachers and education managers have been trained in gender-sensitive school counselling, and thousands more will be reached through the nationwide rollout of the online course.

In particular, 120 ethnic minority women and youth have been trained to improve their entrepreneurial capacity and continue to receive support through the Commune Women's Union.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thai, Vice Principal, Minh Tan Boarding Ethnic Minority School, Vi Xuyen District, Ha Giang Province, said: "In recent years, in parallel with the project "We Can", the school has attracted 100% of students to school, no children have to drop out of school to get married. That is the success of the school and the first step in forming career orientation for the children through field trips to local models".

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Source: https://baoquocte.vn/unesco-cung-cac-doi-tac-chung-tay-thuc-day-giao-duc-cho-tre-em-gai-dan-toc-thieu-so-tai-viet-nam-221444.html