DECISION

APPROVING THE SCHEME ON EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT FOR VERY SMALL ETHNIC MINORITIES IN THE 2010-2015 PERIOD

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;
Pursuant to the June 14, 2005 Education Law;
Pursuant to the November 25, 2009 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Education Law;
Pursuant to Resolution No. 22/NQ-CP of May 28, 2009, promulgating the Government's program of action in implementation of the Resolution of the 9th plenum of the Party Central Committee, the Xth Congress, on major tasks and measures to further successfully implement the Resolution of the Xth National Party Congress;
Pursuant to the National Assembly's Resolution No. 35/2009/NQ-QH12 of June 19, 2009, on guidelines and orientations for renovating a number of financial mechanisms in education and training from the school years 2010-2011 to 2014-2015 and the Government's work program for 2010;
At the proposal of the Minister of Education and Training,

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the Scheme on education development for very small ethnic minorities in the 2010-2015 period, with the following principal contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS

- The State pays attention to education development for very small ethnic minorities, contributing to socio-economic development and hunger elimination and poverty reduction in areas inhabited by very small ethnic minorities.

- The State prioritizes investment in physical foundations and teaching equipment for educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities; adopts specific regimes and policies towards children, pupils and students of these ethnic minorities; provides them with learning opportunities; and assures equality in education.

- To enhance capacity for teachers and education administrators; to renovate teaching methods to suit pupils of very small ethnic minorities; to raise educational quality in areas inhabited by very small ethnic minorities.

II. OBJECTIVES OF THE SCHEME

1. General objectives

To create conditions for increasing the quantity of and raising educational quality for children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities, contributing to conserving and sustainably developing these ethnic minorities.

Children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities are entitled to study and train themselves in good educational settings and a special care and nurturing regime in order to acquire literary and jobs skills and supplement the contingent of source personnel to serve local and national development.

2. Specific objectives

a/ The 2010-2012 period:

- To complete physical foundations of village-based schools and classes with pupils of very small ethnic minorities. To build sufficient classrooms, furbish adequate teaching equipment and aids for primary school points with pupils of very small ethnic minorities.

- To formulate and implement policies to support children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities.

- To develop special training materials and hold training courses for teachers and education administrators of educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities.

b/ The 2013-2015 period:

- To improve special mechanisms and policies for children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities, assuring that:

+ 95% of 3-5 years-old children of very small ethnic minorities will have 2 learning sessions a day according to the new preschool education program at village-based semi-public kindergarten schools and classes;

+100% of primary pupils of very small ethnic minorities will learn at village-based school points and semi-boarding ethnic minority schools;

+ 100% of pupils of very small ethnic minorities completing primary education will be enrolled in district boarding ethnic minority schools or semi-boarding ones.

+ 100% of pupils of very small ethnic minorities completing lower secondary education at district boarding ethnic minority schools or semi-boarding ones will be enrolled in provincial boarding ethnic minority schools or district boarding joint lower and upper secondary ethnic minority schools or professional secondary schools:

+ 95% of pupils of very small ethnic minorities completing secondary education will be prioritized to attend pre-university schools or faculties, colleges, professional secondary schools or vocational training schools;

+ 100% of children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households will enjoy special learning support regimes and policies.

- To raise the quality of teachers and education administrators of educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities. To ensure 100% of them be given refresher training in professional skills.

III. SUBJECTS AND SCOPE OF APPLICATION

- Educational establishments with children, pupils and students of 9 very small ethnic minorities: O Du. Pu Peo, Si La. Ro Mam, Cong, Brau, Bo Y, Mang and Co Lao within 6 provinces of Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Nghe An and Kon Tum;

- Children of 3-5 years, pupils and students of the 9 very small ethnic minorities in the 6 provinces mentioned above.

IV ACTIVITIES OF THE SCHEME

1. Activity I: Promoting communication to raise awareness about the necessity to develop education for very small ethnic minorities

a/ Major contents:

- To promote communication about the Scheme among Party committees and administrations at all levels, communities, parents, teachers and education administrators and pupils, making them become aware of the significance of education development to the conservation and sustainable development of very small ethnic minorities.

- To mobilize families of very small ethnic minorities to create conditions for their children to attend preschools, general education schools, professional secondary schools, colleges and universities.

- To raise all community resources for education development for very small ethnic minorities.

- To coordinate with the mass media at central and local levels in conducting public information work on education development for very small ethnic minorities.

- To develop communication materials, design and implement broadcasting programs and hold seminars at central and local levels.

b/ Projected fund: VND 6,940 million.

2. Activity 2: Investing in and building physical foundations for village-based primary school points with pupils of very small ethnic minorities

a/ Major contents:

- To build adequate physical foundations for educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities which have not received any investments from relevant programs or projects or have received insufficient investments. Specifically, to support the building of physical foundations for primary school points with pupils of very small ethnic minorities in the 6 Scheme-covered provinces. To ensure sufficient classrooms, official-duty houses and teaching facilities and equipment in village-based primary school points with pupils of very small ethnic minorities:

+ Building 110 new classrooms and 110 new official-duty houses;

+ Procuring 220 equipment kits.

b/ Projected fund: VND 117,315 million.

3. Activity 3: Training to enhance capacity for teachers and education administrators of educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities

a/ Major contents:

- To develop special teaching and learning materials for teachers and pupils of very small ethnic minorities, helping teachers properly implement teaching programs:

+ Nine materials on cultural traits, customs and practices of very small ethnic minorities; learning materials on ethnic minority languages (9 tapes/discs on oral teaching of 9 languages of 9 very small ethnic minorities so as to facilitate communication between teachers and education administrators and pupils of these small ethnic minorities);

+ Living skills materials for parents and pupils of very small ethnic minorities and local communities in areas inhabited by these minorities (on HIV/AIDS, drug addiction, alcoholism, etc.);

+ Materials for kindergarten teachers of children of 9 very small ethnic minorities on the implementation the new preschool education program and teaching Vietnamese for these children; materials on teaching methods suitable to pupils of very small ethnic minorities at pre-schools (kindergartens) and primary, lower and upper secondary schools; materials for pupils of very small ethnic minorities to improve their Vietnamese; materials on self-making and use of simple and affordable teaching aids for pupils of very small ethnic minorities at pre-schools (kindergartens) and primary, lower and upper secondary schools; and materials on application of information technology to renovating leaching methods, and administering schools with pupils of very small ethnic minorities.

- To provide training to raise qualifications for teachers and education administrators at educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities:

+ Training teachers of pupils of very small ethnic minorities in psychology of pupils and customs, practices and cultural traits of very small ethnic minorities; teaching methods suitable to these pupils; providing living skills education (on HIV/AIDS, drug addiction, alcoholism, etc.); making simple teaching aids for these pupils; and applying information technology to renovating teaching methods;

+ Training teachers of pupils of very small ethnic minorities in ethnic minority languages;

+ Training education administrators at educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities in psychology of pupils and customs, practices and cultural traits of very small ethnic minorities; teaching methods; and applying information technology to administering schools with pupils of very small ethnic minorities.

- To organize overseas short-term training courses and study visits for teachers and education administrators.

To organize teachers and education administrators of a number of educational establishments nurturing and leaching pupils of very small ethnic minorities to learn foreign countries' experience on education of children of very small ethnic minorities.

b/ Projected fund: VND 40,200 million.

4. Activity 4: Formulating, implementing, and supervising the implementation of, policies to support children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities

a/ Major contents:

- To create conditions for children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities to be cared for, nurtured and educated at appropriate educational establishments:

+ Children of 3-5 years to be cared for and educated at village-based kindergarten schools or classes.

+ Primary pupils to be nurtured and taught at primary schools. Depending on practical conditions, they will be able to learn at nearest school points or semi-boarding ethnic minority schools;

+ Lower and upper secondary pupils to be nurtured and taught at district boarding ethnic minority schools, semi-boarding ethnic minority schools or provincial boarding ethnic minority schools;

+ After completing upper secondary education, pupils of very small ethnic minorities will be prioritized to attend pre-university schools or faculties, colleges or universities or professional secondary schools or vocational training schools or establishments depending on their abilities and needs.

- To formulate and implement policies for children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities:

To formulate and implement appropriate and sustainable policies for children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities. .

Children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities living in areas with extremely difficult socio-economic conditions arc entitled to special learning support policies:

+ For children of very small ethnic minorities learning at public kindergarten schools or classes:

Children of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households and learning at public kindergarten schools or classes arc entitled to support equal to 30% of the common minimum wage/child/month.

+ For children of very small ethnic minorities learning at primary schools:

Pupils of very small ethnic minorities coining from poor households and learning at village-based school points are entitled to support equal to 40% of the common minimum wage/pupil/ month.

Pupils of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households and learning and staying at semi-boarding school points are entitled to support equal to 60% of the common minimum wage/pupil/month.

+ For children of very small ethnic minorities learning at lower secondary schools:

Pupils of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households and learning and staying at semi-boarding ethnic minority schools are entitled to support equal to 60% of the common minimum wage/pupil/month.

Pupils of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households and learning at district boarding school points are entitled to support equal to 100% of the common minimum wage/ pupil/month.

+ For children of very small ethnic minorities learning at upper secondary schools:

Pupils of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households and learning at provincial boarding ethnic minority schools or joint lower and upper secondary schools are entitled to support equal to 100% of the common minimum wage/pupil/month.

+ For pupils of very small ethnic minorities completing upper secondary education may pursue study in the following directions:

Pupils sitting but failing national exams for attending universities or colleges may be considered for enrolment in pre-university schools or classes (1-2 years);

Pupils disqualified to attend universities, colleges or pre-university schools may be directly admitted to professional education establishments (professional secondary schools, vocational colleges, vocational secondary schools or vocational training centers).

+ For pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities studying at pre-university schools or classes, universities, colleges or professional secondary or vocational training schools:

Pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households and studying at pre-university schools or classes, universities, colleges or professional secondary or vocational training schools are entitled to support equal to 100% of the common minimum wage/student/month;

Children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities coming from poor households and learning at the above educational establishments arc entitled to support for 12 months a year.

b/ Projected fund: VND 177 billion.

V. THE SCHEME IMPLEMENTATION FUND

1. Fund:

The total fund for the Scheme during 2010-2015 is VND 341.455 million, in which:

a/ Activity 1: Promoting communication to raise awareness about the necessity to develop education for very small ethnic minorities: VND 6,940 million.

b/ Activity 2: Investing in and building physical foundations for village-based primary school points with pupils of very small ethnic minorities: VND 117,315 million.

c/ Activity 3: Training to enhance capacity for teachers and education administrators of educational establishments with pupils of very small ethnic minorities: VND 40,200 million.

d/ Activity 4: Formulating, implementing, and supervising the implementation of, policies to support children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities: VND 177 billion.

2. Balancing funds for implementing the Scheme

The state budget fund reserved for implementing the Scheme will be VND 341,455 million, in which:

a/ State budget: VND 339,091 million, including:

- VND 107.069 million from the national target program on education and training.

- VND 7,882 million from local capital construction funds.

- VND 224,140 million from regular operation funds.

b/ The fund raised through socialization will be VND 2,364 million.

Article 2. Organization of implementation

1. Responsibilities of ministries and sectors

a/ The Ministry of Education and Training:

- To act as the standing body for organizing the implementation of the Scheme.

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with other ministries, sectors and localities in directing, Guiding and detailing the contents of the Scheme for implementation.

- To make detailed plans for implementing the Scheme in each period and year.

- To organize a conference to launch the implementation of the Scheme, and seminars to review and assess the implementation of the Scheme.

- To assume the prime responsibility for formulating policies for children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities.

- To examine, evaluate and summarize results of the implementation of the Scheme annually, periodically and upon completion of the Scheme, and send periodical reports to the Prime Minister.

b/ The Ministry of Planning and Investment:

- To coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training in summarizing annual and periodical plans on the implementation of the Scheme for submission to the Prime Minister according to regulations.

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training in. allocating annual investment funds for localities to implement the Scheme.

c/ The Ministry' of Finance:

To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training and concerned ministries and agencies in, allocating budget funds to ensure the implementation of the Scheme; to examine and inspect financial matters under the current budget law.

d/ The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs:

To coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training in supporting pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities in vocational training, and creating jobs for them.

e/ The Ethnic Minority Committee:

- To coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, ministries, central sectors and localities in promoting communication to raise awareness about education development for very small ethnic minorities.

- To coordinate with concerned ministries and sectors in examining the implementation of the Scheme.

2. Responsibilities of the People's Committees of Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Nghe An and Kon Tum provinces

- To direct local education and training agencies and functional agencies in making and implementing plans for launching the implementation of the Scheme in their respective provinces; to examine, evaluate and summarize results of implementation of the Scheme in localities; and periodically report them to the central Steering Committee.

- To direct investment in physical foundations and teaching equipment suitable to practical conditions of primary school points with pupils of very small ethnic minorities.

- To direct and supervise the implementation of regimes and policies for children, pupils and students of very small ethnic minorities.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, and chairpersons of provincial-level People's Committees shall implement this Decision.-