Vietnam has achieved a higher 4G coverage rate than other high-income countries.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung stated that Vietnam's 4G mobile phone coverage currently reaches 99.8% of the population, while the average for high-income countries is 99.4%.

At 3:35 PM on November 7th, the National Assembly questioned the Ministers in the fields of science and technology, education and training, culture, sports and tourism, health, labor, and information and communication.

• 17:00

  The questioning session on the afternoon of November 7th has concluded. Tomorrow morning, the National Assembly will continue questioning ministers in the fields of science and technology, education and training, culture, sports and tourism, health , labor, and information and communication.

• 4:55 PM

  The goal is to achieve 5G coverage by 2030.

  Delegate Ta Minh Tam (Deputy Head of Tien Giang delegation) asked: Does Vietnam have a policy of developing online mobile subscriptions?

  Minister Nguyen Manh Hung stated that 4G network coverage has reached 99.8% of the population, and the goal of full coverage will be achieved by 2025. 5G frequencies will be auctioned off at the end of this year. A favorable factor is that network operators are installing 5G base stations on existing infrastructure, thus reducing investment and speeding up deployment. "The goal of 5G network coverage will be achieved by 2030, and I think it could be even faster," Mr. Hung said.

  

  Representative Ta Minh Tam. Photo: National Assembly Media

  Registering mobile phone subscriptions in remote areas is difficult due to the long distance to the network provider's headquarters. The Ministry is researching an online registration method, but it must ensure accuracy and prevent the use of unregistered SIM cards. This method will be included in a decree next year, which will regulate online subscription registration.

• 16:50

  We request that those who defame the film "Southern Forest Land" be punished.

  Representative Tô Thị Bích Châu (Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Fatherland Front) asked the Prime Minister to provide solutions for protecting individuals and organizations when they are subjected to online harassment. Ms. Châu cited two examples: Miss Ý Nhi and the film "Southern Forest Land," which were "severely attacked by the online community." "So who protects them then? How are they protected? Should we wait for them to file complaints, petitions, or applications? Giving feedback that's meant to kill rather than teach them a lesson is very dangerous," Ms. Châu questioned.

  Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said the Ministry has issued a code of conduct for artists and performers creating art on social media.

  

  Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung. Photo: National Assembly Media

  Regarding the content related to the film "Southern Forest Land," the film censorship board has granted permission and has not violated the law. "Public opinion suggesting that the film exhibits certain characteristics is inaccurate and needs to be considered for handling acts of insult and defamation," Minister Nguyen Van Hung said.

  Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said that the management of social networks will be revised in an upcoming decree. This is a fundamental decree, which will regulate the handling of privacy violations and provide mechanisms to support citizens.

  The ministry has also established a national center for handling fake news. "I think it's necessary to set up centers in the provinces, because most aspects of life take place online," he said.

  

  Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung. Photo: Ngoc Thanh

  Minister Hung also suggested strict law enforcement, emphasizing the need for criminal prosecution in cases of serious violations, stating, "The handling of Ms. Phuong Hang serves as a strong deterrent."

  "The fundamental solution is to build a digital culture. Cyberspace is a new environment for people. We have lived in the real world for tens of thousands of years and still have problems, let alone those who have only been participating in cyberspace for about 20 years," Minister Hung said, adding that a platform has been built to train skills and increase people's resilience on social media.

• 4:30 PM

  Vietnam will build a 'three-party' model in science and technology development.

  Delegate Ta Minh Tam (Deputy Head of Tien Giang delegation) stated that many research results, while potentially applicable, have not yet been transferred, lacking technological sophistication and the ability to meet market demands. The science and technology program serving the construction of new rural areas has only selected scientific tasks so far, and contracts have not been signed due to a lack of funding. "I request the Minister of Science and Technology to explain the solutions for creating breakthroughs in the development of science and technology?", Mr. Tam questioned.

  Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat said the delegates' questions raised issues that the science and technology sector is currently grappling with. The Minister stated that the ministry has recently worked with localities, institutes, and universities to connect scientific research conducted by universities with the practical needs and applications of the localities.

  "Applied scientific tasks must involve research teams from universities and local areas, working together to develop research programs that address pressing local needs," he said.

  Minister Huynh Thanh Dat stated that many countries around the world are currently effectively applying the model of linkage between universities, research institutes, and businesses. For example, the Netherlands has a "three-party" model, comprising the State, businesses, and universities/research institutes. In this model, the State creates the environment, ecosystem, and institutions. Universities/research institutes are the research centers, and businesses carry out innovation activities. This is also a model that Vietnam is currently pursuing in scientific research and technology transfer.

  

  Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat answers questions during the interpellation session on the afternoon of November 7th. Photo: Ngoc Thanh

  The Minister also stated that science currently contributes 30% to the development of the agricultural sector. To link agriculture and science, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recently signed an agreement to coordinate activities to implement applied technology in agriculture, especially high technology.

  Regarding funding for science and technology tasks within the new rural development program, the Minister of Science and Technology stated that he will work with the Ministry of Finance to ensure the program receives the necessary funding.

• 4:25 PM

  Vietnam has achieved a 4G coverage rate higher than even high-income countries.

  Representative Doan Thi Le An (Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Cao Bang province) questioned the Minister of Information and Communications' promise at the 4th session regarding his assurance that he would direct network operators to implement solutions to thoroughly cover all villages, especially in mountainous areas and ethnic minority regions. The Minister promised to strive to complete the provision of mobile telecommunications services in villages and hamlets in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, border regions, and islands by 2023.

  "I request the Minister to clarify whether this goal will be achieved by the end of 2023? And please provide specific solutions to achieve this goal," Ms. An said.

  Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said that since 2021, when Covid-19 occurred, the Prime Minister had directed the launch of the "Wave and Computers for Children" program. The Ministry directed network operators and Departments of Information and Communications to review each region nationwide, even those with only a few dozen houses, to provide coverage in areas with weak signal.

  To date, 2,100 areas with weak signal coverage have been covered. Vietnam's 4G mobile phone coverage rate currently reaches 99.8% of the population. High- and middle-income countries only reach 99.4%. In 2023, localities discovered and identified an additional 420 areas with weak signal coverage that need further coverage. "We have included this number in the plan and will use the public telecommunications fund to complete the coverage before June 2024," Mr. Hung said.

  

  Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung. Photo: National Assembly Media

  Delegate Tao Van Giot (Secretary of the Youth Union of Tam Duong District, Lai Chau Province) expressed concern about the current situation of unverified and inaccurate advertising of health supplements on social media. He noted that food products are advertised as medicines, using the names of agencies such as the health sector, and employing manipulated images from national television, hospitals, and the Ministry of Health. Feedback from patients and celebrities regarding the purported therapeutic effects of food products remains quite common and complex, causing confusion and harm to consumers.

  "I request that the Minister provide a solution to address this issue fundamentally," Representative Giót asked.

  According to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, false advertising of functional foods and medicines on the Internet mainly occurs through cross-border social media platforms. The Ministry has established a working mechanism with these social media platforms to remove false information, advertisements, and harmful content, and has institutionalized this in legal documents. Currently, the rate of enforcement of state management requirements regarding the removal of false information on social media is very strict.

  However, Mr. Hung believes that the fundamental solution remains "detection, reporting, and resolution." Whichever ministry or locality manages what in the real world, it should manage that same thing in cyberspace. According to the Minister, currently, ministries and localities do not fully demonstrate their role in managing cyberspace, often considering it solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Communications or the Ministry of Public Security. "For example, regarding medicines and dietary supplements, whether advertising is accurate or inaccurate falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health," he said.

• 4:20 PM

  Bring district-level health centers under the direct control of the District People's Committee.

  Questioning the Minister of Health, delegate Hoang Quoc Khanh (Deputy Head of Lai Chau delegation) cited the monitoring resolution requiring the unified implementation of district-level health centers under the People's Committees of districts and clearly defining the functions, tasks, and organization of the health station system in accordance with the scale, population structure, socio-economic conditions, and accessibility of health services for people in each area and locality.

  Immediately after the National Assembly Resolution was passed, grassroots healthcare officials eagerly awaited guidance from the competent authorities on its implementation to stabilize the organizational structure and ensure peace of mind in their work. Mr. Khanh requested that Minister Dao Hong Lan provide information on the progress and completion date of the two aforementioned contents.

  

  Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan answers questions during the interpellation session on the afternoon of November 7th. Photo: Ngoc Thanh

  Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan said that the model of district-level health centers has undergone many changes in recent times. The National Assembly's supreme oversight report on grassroots policies has highlighted the achievements and shortcomings of this model.

  According to Ms. Lan, it is necessary to reorganize district-level health centers to be under the direct management of the District People's Committee to ensure unified management of personnel and organizational structure. In addition, professional guidance from the Department of Health must be ensured. Recently, Directive 25 of the Party Central Committee further requires placing these centers under the Provincial People's Committee. This needs to be completed before July 1, 2025. To implement this, the Ministry of Health is reviewing the functions of district health centers to issue regulations within its authority.

• The process of verifying the identity of fanpages will be institutionalized.

  Representative Vo Thi Minh Sinh (Chairperson of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province) stated that many organizations and agencies within the political system currently have fanpages on Facebook, which are effective in propaganda but have not yet been granted official accounts. Representative Sinh requested the Minister of Information and Communications to provide solutions to support the orientation and officialization of these pages.

  

  Representative Vo Thi Minh Sinh, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province. Photo: National Assembly Media

  Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung said that many organizations already have fan pages on social media and wish to formalize these pages. Currently, some social media platforms support this function, such as Facebook granting blue verification badges when providing verified information. However, not all social media platforms have this function.

  "The Ministry has been working with social media platforms, and essentially by the end of this year, these platforms will provide authentication functionality. The Ministry will also institutionalize this in a Decree signed at the end of this year on internet content," Mr. Hung said.

• 4:00 PM

  The number of female students involved in school violence is increasing.

  Representative Vuong Quoc Thang (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) stated that the government's report to the National Assembly assessed the situation of school violence as complex. "So, according to the Minister of Education and Training, what are the causes of this situation and what are the fundamental solutions the Ministry will implement in the future?", Mr. Thang questioned.

  Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son stated that from 2021 to the present, nearly 700 cases of school violence have occurred nationwide, involving more than 2,000 students, including 800 female students. "School violence is becoming increasingly complex. On average, there is one case of school violence for every 50 schools. Incidents involving students occur both inside and outside of school. The increasing number of female students involved is causing us great concern, and we are striving to find solutions to address this issue," the Minister of Education and Training said.

  

  Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. Photo: National Assembly Media

  According to the Minister, there are many causes of school violence, including the fact that the detection and handling of school violence is currently left to teachers, and some principals and teachers are still hesitant in handling it when it is discovered.

  According to statistics from the Supreme People's Court, 70-80% of divorce cases annually are related to domestic violence. Therefore, students both witness violence and may be victims of violence. These two things are related, so it is necessary to prevent domestic violence. Violent films also influence young people with different violent motifs. "During the pandemic, students studied online for a long time, leading to psychological problems, coupled with the psychological and physiological changes of adolescence, which could be a cause of school violence," Minister Son said.

• 3:55 PM

  'Teachers hope society and parents will share the difficulties.'

  According to delegate Ly Tiet Hanh (Deputy Head of the Binh Dinh delegation), the Minister of Education and Training recently met and exchanged views with approximately one million teachers and received over 6,000 questions. She requested that the Minister clarify the biggest concerns and obstacles currently faced by teachers and propose solutions.

  According to the new general education program, basic general knowledge is provided up to the end of lower secondary school, a crucial milestone for continuing the student streaming process. However, currently, at the end of lower secondary school, students do not take exams but are assessed for graduation, while at the end of upper secondary school, they take graduation exams.

  "Is it necessary to change the way the junior high school graduation exam is organized, combining it with the entrance exam for grade 10 and the high school graduation exam?" the representative questioned.

  Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said on August 15th, ahead of the new school year, he held an online meeting with one million teachers. More than 6,300 questions and opinions were submitted, most of them agreeing with the educational reform trend being led by the Party, State, and Government.

  Teachers recognize this as a huge challenge, with high societal expectations, and are determined to overcome it. However, they also express concern that "the challenges are great, but the living conditions of teachers make it difficult to implement these reforms."

  Young, newly qualified teachers receive low salaries, and teachers in remote areas face difficulties with facilities and housing. "Teachers earnestly hope that society and parents will show more understanding and support for the work they are undertaking; they hope for improvements in their salaries and living conditions," Mr. Son said.

  The Minister of Education and Training expressed his pleasure that the issue of teachers' salaries and living conditions had been raised in many National Assembly sessions; the Ministry of Interior and the Government have understood this and are seeking ways to resolve it.

  

  Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. Photo: National Assembly Media

  Regarding the suggestion to change the admission methods for high schools and junior high schools, Mr. Son said this is a different perspective. Junior high school is a foundational, integrated stage of education, equipping students with the most basic knowledge of general education. High school, on the other hand, emphasizes streaming, career guidance, and giving students more autonomy in their choices.

  In reality, students and parents agree that the number of exams should be reduced when students transition from lower secondary to upper secondary school. However, although the end of upper secondary school is a career guidance phase, it marks the end of 12 years of general education. Therefore, the graduation exam is necessary, and this is stipulated in the 2019 Education Law.

  The purpose and nature of the high school graduation exam is to ensure graduation, but in reality, the results are also used as a basis for university admissions. "Therefore, the exam will continue to be held in the coming years," Mr. Son said.

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