DECISION

APPROVING GENERAL SCHEME FOR IMPROVEMENT OF VIETNAMESE PEOPLE’S STRENGTH AND HEIGHT FOR 2011 - 2030

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the Law on Physical Training and Sports promulgated per Order No. 22/2006/L-CTN dated December 12, 2006 by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 2198/QD-TTg dated December 03, 2010 approving strategy for development of Vietnam’s physical training and sports by 2020;

At the request of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism,

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. The general scheme for improvement of Vietnamese people’s strength and height for 2011 - 2030 period (hereinafter referred to as “Scheme”), with the following basic content, is approved:

1. General objectives

Improve Vietnamese people’s strength and height in the next 20 years to enhance workforce quality, support industrialization and modernization; gradually improve Vietnamese people’s genetic quality and promote healthy ageing.

2. Specific objectives

Enhance care for reproductive health and maternal and child health, drastically reduce undernutrition prevalence to improve values of basic developmental indicators for children at 5 years of age and ensure fulfillment of criteria for assessment of the strength and height of young adults in Vietnam.

a) Gradually increase the height of Vietnamese young adults according to the following targets:

- Average height for 18-year-old men: 167 cm by 2020; 168,5 cm by 2030.

- Average height for 18-year-old women: 156 cm by 2020; 157,5 cm by 2030.

b) Improve strength, especially stamina and strength of most young adults, and narrow the difference with developed countries in Asia according to the following targets:

- For 18-year-old men:

+ Average distance covered after 5 minutes of free running: 1.050 m by 2020; 1.150 m by 2030.

+ Grip strength for dominant hand: 45 kg by 2020; 48 kg by 2030.

- For 18-year-old women:

+ Average distance covered after 5 minutes of free running: 850 m by 2020; 1.000 m by 2030.

+ Grip strength for dominant hand: 30 kg by 2020; 34 kg by 2030.

c) Create a movement where the whole society looks after Vietnamese people's strength and height; organize healthier recreational, sports and cultural activities, help Vietnamese citizens enhance their physical fitness, mental strength and intellect harmoniously.

d) Increase care for child, minor and youth health to reduce cardiovascular disease, obesity and diseases affecting height, contributing to life quality improvement.

3. Scope and regulated entities

a) Scope: the Scheme shall be implemented throughout Vietnam, with a focus in 4 cities and 6 provinces located in deltas and mountainous areas.

b) Regulated entities: pregnant women, newborns, children, adolescents and youths no older than 18 years of age.

4. Timeline

The Scheme shall run for 20 years and in 2 phases:

- Phase 1 (2011 - 2020): pilot adoption of synchronized solutions for nutrition, physical training and sports, in which, Program 1 shall run for 5 years (2011 - 2015).

- Phase 2 (2021 - 2030): inherit Phase 1 results to adopt the solutions across the country and complete the Scheme.

5. Component programs of the Scheme

a) Program 1: Research on application of major factors influencing Vietnamese people’s strength and height.

- Task assignment

+ In-charge body: Ministry of Health.

+ Cooperating bodies: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Science and Technology and General Statistics Office (Ministry of Planning and Investment).

- Tasks: develop biological indicators, and criteria and standards for strength and height development; propose possibility of intervention in improvement of Vietnamese people’s strength and height.

- Main content

+ Survey and enumerate biological indicators, consolidate criteria and standards for assessment of Vietnamese people’s strength and height.

+ Produce statistics on genetic and environmental factors influencing height.

+ Conduct a general investigation and measure frequency of diseases affecting height and strength; propose some intervention measures.

- Assessment criteria: provide specific criteria and standards for assessment of Vietnamese people’s strength and height; pilot application of main factors influencing the strength and height of Vietnamese people from 03 to 18 years of age in 25% of senior kindergartens and general education schools.

b) Program 2: Nutrition care in combination with relevant healthcare and population quality programs.

- Task assignment

+ In-charge body: Ministry of Health.

+ Cooperating bodies: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs, People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and Central Committee of Vietnam Women's Union.

- Task: ensure proper nutrition for pregnant women, newborns, children, adolescents and youths no older than 18 years of age.

- Main content

+ Continue the program for nutrition care for pregnant women and children under 5 years of age.

+ Research and propose daily nutritious menu standards applicable to entities regulated by the Scheme.

+ Pilot guidance on and provision of nutrition care for students of senior kindergartens, primary schools, lower secondary schools and upper secondary schools.

+ Develop and launch a school milk program for preschool and primary school students.

+ Assess effects of nutrition for children and students from 03 to 18 years of age.

+ Assess incorporating this Scheme into relevant healthcare and population quality programs in a general manner.

- Assessment criteria

+ By 2015, appropriate diet guidance and provision have been piloted in 55% of senior kindergartens and general education schools; the school milk program has been piloted in 45-50% of senior kindergartens and primary schools.

+ By 2020, appropriate diet guidance and provision have been extended to 100% of senior kindergartens and general education schools; the school milk program has been launched in all senior kindergartens and primary schools.

c) Program 3: Strength and height improvement by physical education enhancement for students from 03 to 18 years of age.

- Task assignment

+ In-charge body: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

+ Cooperating bodies: Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and Central Committee of Vietnam Women's Union.

- Tasks: increase quality of curricular physical education classes; organize extracurricular physical activity, and give instructions on physical training and sports outside of class to students to improve  their strength and height.

- Main content

+ Survey state of physical training and sports in school and health of students regulated by the Scheme.

+ Improve conditions for physical training and sports in school, including mechanisms, policies, management, workforce and facilities and equipment for training.

+ Standardize and invest in physical education facilities of schools selected for pilot implementation.

+ Utilize local physical training and sports structures for curricular and extracurricular physical education.

+ Ensure teaching and learning quality of physical education classes and extracurricular physical activities for students; develop suitable physical education curricula that incorporate national defense education and are adopted together with school healthcare and school nutrition activities in a synchronized manner.

+ Develop a system of introductory classes for students gifted in sports in schools, especially lower secondary schools, as appropriate.

- Assessment criteria

+ By 2020, 55% of general education schools have a sports club, sufficient facilities for physical training and sports, adequate physical training and sports teachers and instructors, and connect physical education classes with extracurricular sports activities.

+ By 2030, approximately 90% of schools meet the abovementioned criteria.

d) Program 4: Raising the awareness of and changing social behaviors concerning improvement of Vietnamese people’s strength and height.

- Task assignment

+ In-charge body: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

+ Cooperating bodies: Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Health, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency, press agencies, People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and Central Committee of Vietnam Women's Union.

- Tasks: carry out communications activities to raise the society’s awareness, change social behaviors and encourage the whole society's participation regarding activities of the Scheme.

- Main content

+ Identify the receivers, content and methods of communication.

+ Provide information on nutrition care for newborns, children, adolescents and youths; measures for physical training, sports, leading a healthy lifestyle and preventing infection risks.

+ Adopt measures for direct communications via national target programs, systems of the culture, education, healthcare, physical training and sports sectors, and socio-political organizations; communicate via mass media, websites and social marketing measures.

- Assessment criteria

Raise the society’s awareness to launch a movement where the society cares for the development of Vietnamese people’s strength and height for 55% of senior kindergartens and general education schools by 2020 and 90% of senior kindergartens and general education schools by 2030.

6. Main solution groups

a) Group of solutions concerning mechanisms and policies

- Review, evaluate and propose amendment to legal documents related to healthcare for the people and development of physical education and sports in school.

- Formulate planning for development of physical training and sports facilities, add the function of supporting physical education to training and competition facilities of the physical training and sports sector at all levels. These facilities must have a plan for free-of-charge support for physical education in each locality.

- Promulgate regulations encouraging organizations and individuals to participate in physical education and sports in school, build physical training and sports structures in schools and facilities for physical training and sports services, and sponsor or support fulfillment of the Scheme’s objectives and/or each program’s tasks.

- The State shall provide capital support policies and suitable policies and mechanisms to encourage the participation of the society, schools and enterprises in production of nutritious food, starting with milk and eggs, for strength and height development in children.

- Promulgate legislative documents on establishment of schools and classes for children gifted in sports in general education schools.

- Launch this Scheme together with national target programs related to development of Vietnamese people’s strength and height approved by the National Assembly from 2011 to 2030, but avoid overlapping content.

- Set requirements for periodic inspection and assessment and provide mechanisms for supervision of fulfillment of the Scheme's objectives and each program's tasks.

b) Group of solutions concerning resource mobilization

- The State shall increase its investment in combination with mobilization of private funding, official development aid, concessional loan capital and revenues from sports betting for the Scheme, in which, state budget shall be prioritized for benefit recipients living in remote and isolated areas.

- Mobilize human resources for the Scheme from Vietnam Sport Science Institute, sports universities, sport pedagogy universities, physical education departments of universities and colleges of pedagogy; physical training and sports officials and teachers of schools, and officials in charge of preventive medicine and public healthcare of the Ministry of Health.

- Enable organizations and individuals to sponsor, invest, form a joint venture and cooperate in activities related to the Scheme. Boost private sector involvement and mobilize the participation of all economic - social sectors.

- Promote international cooperation in scientific research and application concerning the body and healthcare for the people. Utilize assistance pertaining to experience, technology transfer and research equipment from international organizations for the Scheme.

- Encourage active support and participation from Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees at all levels and members thereof, especially the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and Vietnam Women’s Union.

c) Group of solutions concerning education and communication

- Further raise the society’s awareness of the Scheme to establish a movement where the whole society cares for the development of Vietnamese people’s strength and height.

- Compile and publish educational documents and films supporting Scheme implementation; cooperate with Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam and local broadcasting and radio stations in making segments promoting the Scheme and raising people’s awareness of self-care for health and environmental protection.

- Mobilize socio-political organizations and establish a network of collaborators to educate each household on development of Vietnamese people’s strength and height directly.

- Establish the Scheme’s web portal and databases for development of Vietnamese people’s strength and height in schools.

7. Funding sources and Scheme management and direction mechanisms

a) The Scheme shall be funded by state budget (central and local government budgets), private funding, mobilized ODA, concessional loan capital and revenues from sports betting.

- Central government budget shall cover the following tasks:

+ Scientific research.

+ Pilot combination of nutrition measures and development of physical training and sports in school; and support for the school milk program.

+ Communication.

+ Scheme management.

+ Assistance for and investment in physical training and sports facilities for mountainous, remote and isolated areas.

- Local government budget shall cover building of physical training and sports facilities and assurance of conditions for development of physical education and sports in school, school nutrition care and the school milk program.

- Non-state funding shall cover nutrition provision, physical training and sports facilities and physical training and sports activities in school.

b) Funding apportionment rules

- Funding for the Scheme shall be distributed over four 5-year periods and directly distributed to each component program.

- On an annual basis and before the end of each period, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall cooperate with relevant ministries, central authorities and local governments in consolidating funding requests for the Scheme for each year and the following period, and finalizing the amounts with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Finance to propose to the Prime Minister.

- In 2011, the Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Finance shall allocate funding for Scheme management; appraise and propose funding for the Scheme’s component programs for 2011 – 2015 period to the Prime Minister for approval.

- Ensure application of development and approval rules and methods for incorporating the Scheme’s component programs into relevant industry distribution plans, programs, planning and strategies.

c) Scheme management and direction mechanisms

- Manage and direct the Scheme in compliance with management, direction and implementation rules and mechanisms provided for in the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 135/2009/QD-TTg dated November 04, 2009 promulgating regulation on management, direction and implementation of national target programs.

- Pay special attention to implementation of the Scheme in 4 cities and some provinces located in deltas and mountainous areas in the North, the Central and the South of Vietnam: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Lao Cai, Thanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Quang Ngai, Bac Lieu and Binh Duong.

- Prepare preliminary reports on the Scheme on an annual basis; prepare summary ones every 5 years.

8. Implementation

a) The general scheme shall be a framework scheme. After the Scheme receives the Prime Minister's approval, the Scheme management board must direct completion of the Scheme's component programs together with cost estimate and implementation plans for the first phase.

b) The Prime Minister has the power to decide establishment of the Scheme management board, which shall comprise representatives of leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Information and Communications, and Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall be the body in charge.

The Scheme management board shall provide relevant ministries, central authorities and local governments with direction and guidelines for fulfillment of the objectives and tasks of the Scheme’s component programs, inspect and expedite such fulfillment and prepare consolidated reports on results of such fulfillment for each year and each phase.

c) Responsibility assignment

- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall act as the body in charge of the Scheme to take charge and cooperate with relevant ministries and central authorities in developing and approving component programs of the Scheme; monitor, inspect and expedite Scheme implementation by relevant ministries, central authorities and local governments. Take charge of Program 3 and Program 4 of the Scheme. Submit consolidated reports on Scheme implementation to the Prime Minister on an annual basis and at the end of each 5-year period.

In the event that a newly arising issue leads to amendment to the objectives or content of the approved Scheme, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall cooperate with relevant regulatory bodies in making such amendment or report to the competent authority for consideration and amendment as prescribed by law.

- The Ministry of Health shall take charge of Program 1 and Program 2 of the Scheme. Cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in submitting consolidated reports on Scheme implementation to the Prime Minister on an annual basis and at the end of each 5-year period.

- The Ministry of Education and Training and Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs shall take charge or cooperate in launching component programs of the Scheme and, concurrently, cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in directing, providing guidelines for and expediting Scheme implementation as assigned by the Government.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment and Ministry of Finance shall cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant ministries, central authorities and local governments in balancing and allocating funding from state budget for the Scheme; providing guidelines for management of the Scheme’s finance and funding; and providing mechanisms and policies mobilizing non-state funding for the Scheme.

- Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of National Defense, Vietnam Television and Voice of Vietnam shall cooperate with the bodies in charge of the component programs in implementing the Scheme and promulgating suitable policies and mechanisms to fulfill the Scheme’s objectives and tasks.

- People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall organize and direct implementation of the Scheme in their provinces and cities; allocate their funding for component programs of the Scheme that involve their provinces and cities.

- Vietnam Fatherland Front, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, Vietnam Women's Union, Vietnam Farmer’s Union, Vietnam Veterans Association and Vietnam Association of the Elderly shall cooperate with regulatory bodies in fulfilling the Scheme’s objectives and tasks intra vires.

Article 2. Effect

This Decision takes effect from the date on which it is signed.

Article 3. Implementing responsibilities

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of Governmental agencies, and Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall implement this Decision./.