PROVINCIAL EDUCATION: DOING THEIR BEST BUT. . .

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002963

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/06
TAGS: SOCI PGOV VM
SUBJECT: PROVINCIAL EDUCATION: DOING THEIR BEST BUT. . .



1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY ROBERT C. PORTER, CHARGE
D'AFFAIRES, A.I., REASON: 1.5 (D)


2. (C) SUMMARY. PROVINCES BETWEEN HO CHI MINH CITY AND
HANOI CLEARLY HAVE DEVOTED STAFF AND GOOD INTENTIONS IN
THEIR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS, BUT AN ENDEMIC LACK OF
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RESOURCES LEAVES CHILDREN IN OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS
WITH FEW RESOURCE MATERIALS. PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES
SEEK TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO FINISH
GRADE 9 AND HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTERS AND ENGLISH
CLASSES WITHIN A FEW YEARS, BUT MANY LOCALITIES MAY
MISS THIS TARGET. THESE EDUCATIONAL CONSTRAINTS WILL
FURTHER REDUCE VIETNAM'S ABILITY TO COMPETE EFFECTIVELY
IN GLOBAL MARKETS IN THE FUTURE. END SUMMARY.


3. (U) DURING OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 2 TRAVELS TO
PROVINCES ALONG ROUTE ONE BETWEEN HO CHI MINH CITY AND
HANOI, POL/C AND POL FSN DISCUSSED EDUCATIONAL ISSUES
WITH PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN,
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT CHIEFS, AND SCHOOL PRINCIPALS,
AND ALSO VISITED A NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE/HIGH
(GRADES 6-9) SCHOOLS. SEPTELS WILL DESCRIBE OTHER
DISCUSSIONS DURING THIS TRIP BY EMBASSY VEHICLE.

HOW MANY KIDS CAN YOU FIT IN A CLASSROOM?
--------------


4. (SBU) THE PHYSICAL REALITIES OF PROVINCIAL
EDUCATION AT LEAST IN THESE COASTAL PROVINCES OF
VIETNAM ARE OFTEN DISMAYING FROM AN AMERICAN
PERSPECTIVE, ALBEIT NOT NOTICEABLY INFERIOR TO SIMILAR
SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST ASIA. CLASSROOMS ARE
ALMOST INVARIABLY OPEN AIR, DESPITE THE HIGH HEAT AND
HUMIDITY AS WELL AS SEASONAL DOWNPOURS. STUDENTS IN
BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE USUALLY CROWDED
FOUR OR FIVE STUDENTS TO A BENCH AND FORTY TO FIFTY
STUDENTS PER CLASSROOM. VIRTUALLY ALL ELEMENTARY
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SCHOOLS AND MANY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOLS MUST DIVIDE THEIR
STUDENT POPULATIONS INTO MORNING AND AFTERNOON GROUPS
DUE TO OVERCROWDING. WHILE STUDENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO
HAVE FOUR OR FIVE HOURS OF CLASSROOM TIME EACH DAY, THE
MIGRATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL BY FOOT OR BICYCLE IN MID-
MORNING OR MID-AFTERNOON SUGGEST THAT MANY SCHOOLS ARE
NOT ABLE TO KEEP TO THIS SCHEDULE. PLAYGROUND OR
SPORTS FACILITIES ARE USUALLY SMALL OR NON-EXISTENT.


5. (SBU) STUDENTS IN MANY SCHOOLS APPEAR TO HAVE FEW
BOOKS, APPARENTLY RELYING MORE COMMONLY ON LECTURES BY
THE TEACHERS AND TRADITIONAL BLACKBOARDS. THE
LIBRARIES IN MANY SCHOOLS CONSIST ONLY OF A SMALL ROOM
WITH A HANDFUL OF BOOKS OR PERIODICALS. (AT MANY
SCHOOLS, POL/C PRESENTED VARIOUS PAS PUBLICATIONS IN
VIETNAMESE AND ENGLISH ABOUT ASPECTS OF THE UNITED
STATES.) COMPUTER ROOMS AT MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOLS USUALLY
CONTAINED NO MORE THAN TEN WORKSTATIONS AND A SINGLE
PRINTER; FEW HAVE INTERNET ACCESS. EVEN COMPUTER
ROOMS WERE USUALLY NOT AIR-CONDITIONED AND APPEARED NOT
TO BE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENT ACCESS BETWEEN OR AFTER
CLASSES.

PROVINCIAL REALITIES AND HOPES
--------------


6. (SBU) ACCORDING TO BINH THUAN PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN
NUYNH TAN THANH, THIS PROVINCE WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE
UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION BY 1997. HIS GOAL NOW IS
TO REACH UNIVERSAL MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION BY 2003
OR 2004. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES HIS PROVINCE FACES IN
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THIS EFFORT ARE A LACK OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND RURAL
POVERTY THAT FORCES PARENTS TO PUT THEIR CHILDREN TO
WORK. WHILE IN PRINCIPLE ALL 103 MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOLS
ARE SUPPOSED TO OFFER COMPUTER CLASSES TO STUDENTS, NOT
ALL YET HAVE THE EQUIPMENT OR TEACHERS. ALL 31 SENIOR
HIGH SCHOOLS (INCLUDING 4 BOARDING SCHOOLS FOR MINORITY
STUDENTS) PROVIDE SUCH TRAINING, HOWEVER. DISTANCE
LEARNING VIA TELEVISION OR INTERNET IS "LIMITED," HE
NOTED, ALTHOUGH STUDENTS AT THE PROVINCIAL TEACHERS'
COLLEGE CAN TAKE SOME UNIVERSITY CLASSES IN PHAN THIET
CITY. HE ADDED THAT A PRIVATELY-FUNDED UNIVERSITY IS
IN THE WORKS, AND HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE ABOUT
ULTIMATE GOVERNMENT APPROVAL FOR ITS ESTABLISHMENT.


7. (SBU) THE KHANH HOA PROVINCIAL EDUCATION CHIEF
NOTED THE NEED TO "STRENGTHEN" ITS SCHOOL SYSTEM AND TO
"STRUGGLE" TO ACCOMPLISH UNIVERSAL 9TH GRADE EDUCATION;
ONLY ABOUT 60 PCT OF TEENAGERS AT THAT AGE NOW COMPLETE
MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL. HE LAMENTED THE FISCAL LIMITATIONS
THAT PREVENTED ESTABLISHMENT OF MORE SCHOOLS.
PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN PHAM VAN CHI CLAIMED THAT FAMILY
POVERTY RATHER THAN INSUFFICIENT PROVINCIAL BUDGETS WAS
THE LARGER ISSUE; EVEN THE MODEST MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL
FEES OF 70,000 DONG (USD 5) PER STUDENT PER YEAR WAS
BEYOND THE RESOURCES OF SOME FAMILIES. HE ESTIMATED
THAT THE PROVINCE HAD A TOTAL OF ONLY 60 COMPUTERS FOR
2000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND EXPRESSED A HOPE THAT BY
2003 75 PCT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD HAVE ACCESS
TO THE INTERNET (ONLY 4 PCT DO NOW, HE SAID). SIXTH
GRADE STUDENTS NOW BEGIN ENGLISH; HE EXPRESSED A HOPE
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TO BEGIN TEACHING ENGLISH IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS AT SOME
POINT IN THE FUTURE, ALTHOUGH HE ADMITTED THERE ARE NO
SPECIFIC PLANS TO DO SO YET.


8. (SBU) BINH DINH PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN VU HOANG HA
EXPRESSED A HOPE FOR UNIVERSAL MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL
EDUCATION BY 2003 OR 2004 AS WELL AS FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT BY 2003 OF A PRIVATELY FUNDED UNIVERSITY.
THERE ARE NOW OVER 900 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, ABOUT 50
MIDDLE AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS, AND ONE TEACHER'S
COLLEGE FOR AN OVERALL STUDENT POPULATION OF ABOUT
11,000. SOME PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES ALREADY
EXIST, MOSTLY TEACHING NON-DEGREE COURSES IN COMPUTER,
ENGLISH, OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING. TWO APPLICATIONS ARE
PENDING FOR PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO COMPLEMENT A
SINGLE EXISTING PRIVATE SCHOOL. HIS GOAL IS THAT 95
PCT OF STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO FINISH GRADE 9 BY 2005.
HE CLAIMED THAT ALL HIGH SCHOOLS ALREADY REQUIRE
COURSES IN COMPUTERS AND ENGLISH; SOME HAVE INTERNET
ACCESS. A FEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALSO OFFER ENGLISH,
HE ADDED.


9. (SBU) ACCORDING TO QUANG NAM PROVINCIAL VICE
CHAIRMAN HO THI THANH LAM, ALL CITIES AND DISTRICTS IN
THE PROVINCE NOW HAVE MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOLS BUT SOME
RURAL TOWNSHIPS DO NOT. EVEN PRIMARY EDUCATION IN THIS
PROVINCE IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE FULLY UNIVERSAL BEFORE
2007, ALTHOUGH ABOUT 80 PCT OF PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE
CHILDREN NOW ARE ABLE TO ATTEND. SHE CLAIMED ABOUT 60
PCT OF 15-YEAR OLDS FINISH MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL. SHE
ADMITTED THAT MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL FEES OF ABOUT
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90,000 DONG (US 6) POSE A PROBLEM FOR SOME FAMILIES,
BUT SAID GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES WERE AVAILABLE,
ESPECIALLY FOR MINORITY STUDENTS. ENGLISH CLASSES ARE
MANDATED BEGINNING IN 6TH GRADE, WITH SOME ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS ALSO OFFERING COURSES. COMPUTER TRAINING DOES
NOT BEGIN UNTIL 10TH GRADE, HOWEVER; SHE EXPRESSED A
WISH THAT FUTURE BUDGETS WOULD ENABLE PURCHASE OF MORE
COMPUTERS. CLASSES FOR MINORITY STUDENTS ARE ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY IN VIETNAMESE, ALTHOUGH SHE SAID THE
PROVINCE WAS "TRYING TO DO MORE" TO TEACH IN LOCAL
MINORITY LANGUAGES.


10. (SBU) DANANG MUNICIPAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR HUYNH
VAN HOA SAID THAT THE CITY HAD ACHIEVED UNIVERSAL
PRIMARY EDUCATION IN 2000 AND HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST
LEVEL OF MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE NATION,
WITH ABOUT 80 PCT OF ALL FIFTEEN-YEAR OLDS IN THE CITY
NOW FINISHING 9TH GRADE. HE NOTED THAT THEY MIGHT
NEVER REACH 100 PCT DUE TO THE LACK OF SCHOOLS FOR
PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS. (SEPTEL
WILL REPORT ON A PRIVATE FACILITY FOR SUCH STUDENTS RUN
BY CATHOLIC NUNS.) MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL MONTHLY FEES OF
20,000 DONG (USD 1.25) POSE LITTLE PROBLEM FOR MOST
URBAN RESIDENTS, BUT 5-10 PCT OF MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS NONETHELESS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS. HE
EXPRESSED A HOPE FOR MORE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES, S&T
TRAINING, ASSISTANCE FROM THE USG AND NGOS FOR PRIMARY
EDUCATION, AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES.
HE ADDED THAT ALL MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SHOULD
HAVE INTERNET ACCESS BY 2005; HALF OF MIDDLE/HIGH
SCHOOLS IN DANANG NOW PROVIDE IT. ALL MIDDLE/HIGH
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SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE ENGLISH, AND THE
GOAL WITHIN 5 YEARS IS TO BEGIN ENGLISH TRAINING IN THE
3RD OR 4TH GRADE. HE ADDED THAT DANANG HAS HAD PRIVATE
SCHOOLS FOR ABOUT A DECADE, NOW INCLUDING THREE HIGH
SCHOOLS, AND THAT THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN "SATISFACTORY."


11. (SBU) QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN PHAN
VIET DUNG DESCRIBED HOW THE PROVINCE HAD REACHED
UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION AS EARLY AS 1993. AT
PRESENT, ABOUT 78 PCT OF TEENAGERS FINISH 9TH GRADE;
THE GOAL IS TO REACH UNIVERSAL MIDDLE/HIGH EDUCATION BY

2005. ONLY ABOUT ONE FIFTH OF TEENAGERS FINISH
SENIOR/HIGH SCHOOL, HOWEVER. HE ADMITTED A SPECIAL
NEED TO DO MORE TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MINORITY STUDENTS; FOUR BOARDING SCHOOLS NOW EXIST
FOR STUDENTS FROM THESE REMOTE AREAS. ENGLISH CLASSES
ARE NOW ONLY COMPULSORY IN THE PROVINCE'S 18 SENIOR
HIGH SCHOOLS; BY 2003, THE PROVINCE WANTS TO MAKE
ENGLISH COMPULSORY IN ALL 115 MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOLS AS
WELL. THERE ARE NO PRIVATE SCHOOLS AT PRESENT DUE TO
"LOCAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS," BUT HE CITED SOME "SEMI-
PRIVATE" SCHOOLS FOR COMPUTER TRAINING.


12. (SBU) ACCORDING TO NGHE AN VICE CHAIRMAN HOANG KY
AND THE PROVINCIAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR, THIS PROVINCE
HAD REACHED UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION BY 1998 AND
SEEKS TO UNIVERSALIZE MIDDLE/HIGH EDUCATION BY 2005.
COMPUTER TRAINING WAS AVAILABLE IN THE PROVINCIAL
CAPITAL FOR STUDENTS EVEN AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL BUT
IN RURAL AREAS ONLY AT MOST MIDDLE AND SENIOR HIGH
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SCHOOLS. SOME REMOTE SCHOOLS IN MINORITY AREAS DO NOT
YET HAVE ELECTRICITY. ENGLISH IS COMPULSORY ONLY IN
MIDDLE AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS. THE PROVINCE, WHICH
HAS A SIGNIFICANT MINORITY POPULATION, HAS BEGUN SOME
ELEMENTARY CLASSES IN HMONG LANGUAGE BUT HAS "NO
SPECIFIC PLANS" FOR INTRODUCTION OF OTHER MINORITY
LANGUAGES. LESS THAN 20 PCT OF ALL TEACHERS THEMSELVES
COME FROM MINORITY GROUPS. EDUCATION IS FREE FOR
MINORITY STUDENTS EVEN THROUGH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND
UNIVERSITY.


13. (SBU) NGHE AN OFFICIALS ALSO NOTED HOW THE
PROVINCE HAD "STRUGGLED" TO INDUCE HMONG FAMILIES TO
ALLOW THEIR DAUGHTERS TO STUDY. IN SOME AREAS, THE
PROVINCE SET UP SEPARATE SCHOOLS FOR GIRLS, WITH ONLY
FEMALE TEACHERS. OFFICIALS AND TEACHERS HAVE ALSO BEEN
PROMOTING THE CONCEPT THAT HMONG BOYS SHOULD ONLY MARRY
GIRLS WHO KNOW HOW TO READ. THERE ARE NO BOARDING
SCHOOLS FOR MINORITY STUDENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL,
BUT SOME EXIST FOR MIDDLE AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS WHOSE HOMES ARE MORE THAN TWO HOURS FROM A
SCHOOL. THE MAIN CHALLENGES OVER THE NEXT DECADE FOR
THE PROVINCIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM ARE TO REDUCE THE GAP
BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN STANDARDS, TO POPULARIZE AND
FUND COMPUTER AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING, AND TO
PROMOTE POST MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. AT PRESENT,
ONLY ABOUT 1,000 OF THE PROVINCE'S 7,000 SENIOR/HIGH
SCHOOL GRADUATES ENTER UNIVERSITY.


14. (C) COMMENT: VIETNAMESE CULTURE HAS
TRADITIONALLY VALUED EDUCATION, AND THERE ARE CLEARLY
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MANY DEVOTED TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL OFFICIALS IN
THESE AND OTHER PROVINCES. NEW SCHOOLS ARE BEING
BUILT (SOME WITH FUNDING INDIRECTLY FROM USDA AND
OTHERS BY OTHER INTERNATIONAL DONORS SUCH AS SOUTH
KOREA) OR RENOVATED. EDUCATION APPEARS TO REPRESENT A
SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF LOCAL BUDGETS, ALTHOUGH IT REMAINS
UNCLEAR HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE UNDER
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION GUIDANCE. THE STRUGGLE TO
PROMOTE MORE UNIVERSAL EDUCATION WILL CONTINUE
THROUGHOUT THE NEXT DECADE, BUT MAY NOT BE FULLY
SUCCESSFUL GIVEN FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL CONSTRAINTS AS
WELL AS GEOGRAPHICAL BARRIERS AND LOCAL CULTURAL
TRADITIONS. THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT, IN AN ERA OF
GLOBALIZATION AND INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED
INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION AND SERVICE STANDARDS, TOO FEW
PROVINCIAL STUDENTS IN VIETNAM ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE
COMPETENCY EVEN IN ENGLISH OR BASIC INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD BE DESIRABLE TO ENHANCE VIETNAM'S
ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS. THIS REALITY IS UNLIKELY TO
CHANGE DRAMATICALLY EVEN WITHIN A DECADE. END COMMENT.


15. (U) NOTE: FOLLOWING A RECENT VISIT BY THE
REGIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE OFFICER FROM AMEMBASSY
BANGKOK, POST NOW PLANS TO INITIATE SEVERAL SMALL
PROJECTS WITH UNIVERSITIES IN HANOI AND HO CHI MINH
CITY AIMED AT REFORMING THE STANDARDS USED IN MEASURING
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN VIETNAM AND IMPROVING
TRAINING FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AT THE PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY LEVELS.
PORTER

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