Secondary education universalisation by 2011

The target was put forth at a conference o­n orientations for the popularisation of junior high school education between 2008 and 2010 held by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) in Hanoi o­n August 5.

To the target, the MoET suggested local authorities strengthen the coordination among their departments and organisations to improve schools’ infrastructure and diversify forms of learning to offer greater opportunities to disadvantaged pupils. Teaching staff need to be developed in both quantity and quality.

The ministry will coordinate with local authorities in assisting areas with specially difficult socio-economic conditions. In the coming years, more boarding schools will be built for ethnic minority children.

The mobilisation of all investment sources is also an effective solution for the secondary education universalisation.

In 2008, five provinces have registered to achieve universalisation of junior secondary education. They are northern mountainous Son La and Ha Giang, central Binh Thuan, and Kien Giang and Tra Vinh provinces in the Mekong Delta. Localities that have achieved the target were also urged to maintain their achievements.

At present, 22 provinces in the country have not yet met the national standard o­n junior secondary education universalisation