THE ROLE OF BOARDING SCHOOLS IN MINORITY INTEGRATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 003302 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV SECDEF FOR ABLAGG STATE PASS USAID ANE/ AFERRARA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 03302 01 OF 03 210733Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI VM ETMIN SUBJECT: THE ROLE OF BOARDING SCHOOLS IN MINORITY INTEGRATION ¶1. SUMMARY: BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE EFFORTS OF PHU THO AND TUYEN QUANG PROVINCES IN NORTHERN VIETNAM TO INTEGRATE THEIR ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS. THE GVN SET UP BOARDING SCHOOLS NOT ONLY FOR INTEGRATION, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEY ARE MUCH CHEAPER TO BUILD AND STAFF THAN THE ALTERNATIVE OF SETTING UP LOCAL SCHOOLS IN REMOTE VILLAGES. THE BOARDING SCHOOLS BRING SELECTED ETHNIC MINORITY STUDENTS TO MORE CENTRAL, BUT STILL SOMEWHAT ISOLATED LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. THERE, IN THE VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE, STUDENTS RECEIVE A RELATIVELY GOOD EDUCATION AND EXPOSURE TO A DAILY PROGRAM THAT IS CONSIDERABLY MORE INTENSIVE AND STRUCTURED THAN IS TYPICAL FOR VIETNAMESE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. GRADUATES OF THE SCHOOLS HAVE BECOME, AMONG OTHER THINGS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, PHYSICIANS, AND TEACHERS. END SUMMARY. WHY BOARDING SCHOOLS? -------------- ¶2. DURING AN OFFICIAL TRIP TO THE NORTHERN PROVINCES OF PHU THO AND TUYEN QUANG PROVINCES NOVEMBER 27-29, POLOFF AND POL FSN VISITED TWO BOARDING HIGH SCHOOLS FOR ETHNIC MINORITY STUDENTS. PROVINCES WITH SIGNIFICANT MINORITY POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT VIETNAM HAVE ESTABLISHED SECONDARY LEVEL BOARDING SCHOOLS FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES. VARIOUS OFFICIALS STRESSED THAT MANY OF THE STUDENTS ATTENDING THE BOARDING SCHOOLS ARE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 03302 01 OF 03 210733Z FROM VILLAGES THAT CAN ONLY BE REACHED ON FOOT AND THAT OFTEN DO NOT HAVE LOCAL SCHOOLS OR BASIC UTILITIES. PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ALSO DISCUSSED THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING TEACHERS TO WORK IN REMOTE SCHOOLS. FEW ETHNIC MAJORITY KINH TEACHERS ARE WILLING TO WORK IN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS FROM ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS IS VERY SMALL, THEY ADDED. WHY GO TO A BOARDING SCHOOL? -------------- ¶3. SCHOOL AND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO THE GREAT COMPETITION TO ATTEND THESE BOARDING SCHOOLS. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE BOARDING SCHOOLS OFFER SEVERAL ADVANTAGES. FOREMOST, THEY SAID, IS THAT THE BOARDING SCHOOLS MAY BE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY THESE STUDENTS HAVE TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL AT ALL. MOREOVER, SCHOOL OFFICIALS CLAIMED THAT THE BOARDING SCHOOLS PROVIDE A BETTER EDUCATION THAN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT TOWNS, THE OTHER OPTION FOR SOME OF THESE STUDENTS. PROVINCIAL AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS ALSO EXPLAINED THAT ALLOWANCES PAID OUT OF THE NATIONAL BUDGET PAY FOR TEXTBOOKS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, BEDDING, MOSQUITO NETS, AND CLOTHING. FURTHERMORE, THE SCHOOLS RECEIVE AN ALLOWANCE OF VIETNAM DONG 120,000 PER STUDENT PER MONTH, PRIMARILY FOR FOOD. THE STUDENTS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAID, MAY USE ANY LEFTOVER AMOUNT FOR DISCRETIONARY SPENDING. FINALLY, OFFICIALS ADDED, ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE AN ALLOTMENT TO COVER THE COST OF TRAVELING TO AND FROM THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES TWICE A YEAR. OFFICIALS NOTED THAT, SINCE MANY OF THESE STUDENTS ARE FROM VERY POOR FAMILIES, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO ATTEND SCHOOL WITHOUT THESE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 03302 01 OF 03 210733Z SUBSIDIES. HOW DO YOU GET IN? -------------- ¶4. SCHOOL OFFICIALS EXPLAINED HOW STUDENTS WERE CHOSEN TO ATTEND THE BOARDING SCHOOLS. THE PHU THO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL HEADMASTER SAID THAT HIS STUDENTS WERE ALL GRADUATES OF THE PROVINCE'S BASIC SECONDARY LEVEL (JUNIOR HIGH) BOARDING SCHOOL WHO HAD PASSED AN ENTRANCE EXAMINATION. HE ADDED THAT COMMUNE-LEVEL OFFICIALS CHOSE BASIC SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOL STUDENTS BASED ON THEIR "POTENTIAL." TUYEN QUANG OFFICIALS SAID THAT ALL OF THEIR STUDENTS WERE CHOSEN BY EXAMINATION; 70 PERCENT OF THE INCOMING STUDENTS ARE FROM THE PROVINCE'S THREE BASIC SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOLS AND 30 PERCENT FROM THE REST OF THE PROVINCE'S BASIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS. PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS REMARKED THAT COMPETITION TO GET INTO THE SCHOOLS IS VERY KEEN. EDUCATION IN THE BOARDING SCHOOLS -------------- ¶5. OFFICIALS SAID THE BOARDING SCHOOLS USE THE STANDARD NATIONAL CURRICULUM AS WELL AS A PROGRAM OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES DEFINED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. TEACHERS, ACCORDING TO HEADMASTERS, SUPERVISE STUDY AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WITH A DAILY SCHEDULE OF ACADEMIC CLASSES IN THE MORNING AND SUPERVISED STUDY, PRACTICUMS, SPORTS, AND CIVICS AND SOCIALIZATION ACTIVITIES IN THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS. OFFICIALS AT BOTH SCHOOLS ADMITTED THAT THEY DO NOT ADD OR CHANGE ANY ACTIVITIES BASED ON LOCAL CONDITIONS, NOR DID THEY EMPHASIZE THE STUDENTS' VARIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGES. THEY HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDENTS' PARTICIPATION IN SOCIALIZATION AND CIVICS ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO "INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE NATION." IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT'S RECENT DIRECTIVE TO USE LOCAL LANGUAGES IN SCHOOLS, TUYEN QUANG'S PROVINCIAL EDUCATION CHIEF SAID THAT VIETNAMESE HAD BEEN THE SOLE MEANS OF INSTRUCTION IN ALL OF THE PROVINCE'S SCHOOLS SINCE THE 1970'S AND THAT THERE WERE NO PLANS TO USE MINORITY LANGUAGES AGAIN. THE RESULTS -------------- ¶6. SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAID THAT THEIR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO CAN HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THAT THEIR YARDSTICK IS THE NUMBER WHO GET INTO COLLEGE. THE HEADMASTER CLAIMED THAT ALMOST HALF OF TUYEN QUANG'S GRADUATES HAD GONE ON FOR FURTHER TRAINING AFTER THE SPRING UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 03302 02 OF 03 210734Z 2001 GRADUATION, WHEREAS HIS OPPOSITE NUMBER IN PHU THO CLAIMED THAT ABOUT ONLY 15 PERCENT OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES CONTINUED THEIR EDUCATION. WHILE THE PHU THO BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL HAD ONLY OPENED IN 1997, THE TUYEN QUANG OFFICIALS NOTED THAT THEIR SCHOOL HAD BEEN OPEN SINCE 1959 AND THAT ITS CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF 4,465 GRADUATES NOW INCLUDED ALMOST 50 MEDICAL DOCTORS AND DOCTORATE DEGREE HOLDERS, SEVERAL PROVINCIAL PEOPLE COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND VICE-CHAIRMEN, HEADS OF THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, AND MANY OF THE SCHOOLS' CURRENT TEACHERS. (NOTE: ETHNIC MINORITIES MAKE UP ABOUT HALF OF TUYEN QUANG'S POPULATION AND THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND VICE- CHAIRMAN, THE PROVINCIAL EDUCATION CHIEF, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PROVINCIAL LEADERS ARE MEMBERS OF MINORITY GROUPS. MINORITIES COMPRISE ABOUT 2.5 PERCENT OF PHU THO'S POPULATION. END NOTE.) OFFICIALS SAID THAT GRADUATES WHO DID NOT GO ON TO COLLEGE GENERALLY RETURNED TO AND WORKED IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. LIFE AT THE SCHOOLS -------------- ¶7. STUDENTS STAY AT THE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR, ACCORDING TO SCHOOL OFFICIALS. MOST ONLY RETURN HOME DURING SUMMER VACATION AND AT TET, BECAUSE, THE HEADMASTERS SAID, IT IS TOO TIME CONSUMING AND TOO EXPENSIVE TO GO HOME MORE FREQUENTLY. LIKEWISE, PARENTS VERY SELDOM VISIT. THE TEACHERS LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE SCHOOLS AND RECEIVE 30 PERCENT INCENTIVE PAY FOR TEACHING AT A BOARDING SCHOOL, ACCORDING TO THE TUYEN QUANG SCHOOL HEADMASTER; OTHER STAFF MEMBERS LIVE IN THE SCHOOLS WITH THE STUDENTS. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 03302 02 OF 03 210734Z THE TUYEN QUANG HEADMASTER REMARKED THAT TEACHERS BECOME SURROGATE PARENTS FOR THE STUDENTS. SCHOOL AND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS EMPHASIZED THAT STUDENTS PRODUCE MUCH OF THEIR OWN FOOD, BOTH TO MAKE THEIR MONTHLY ALLOWANCES GO FARTHER AND TO PUT THEIR AGRICULTURE CLASSES INTO PRACTICE. ¶8. BOTH SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED 7 TO 10 KILOMETERS FROM THE NEAREST DISTRICT TOWN ON SELF-CONTAINED CAMPUSES. SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAID THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE CAMPUS. PHU THO OFFICIALS SAID THEIR FACILITY USED TO BE A COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS FROM LAOS. AT BOTH SCHOOLS, EIGHT TO TEN STUDENTS SHARED ONE DORMITORY ROOM, DOUBLING UP ON BUNK BEDS. THE EACH STUDENT HAD WOODEN LOCKER AND SOME ROOMS WERE DECORATED WITH POSTERS. ON THE DAY OF POLOFF'S VISIT, MOST STUDENTS IN THE TUYEN QUANG BOARDING SCHOOL APPEARED TO BE DRESSED IN TRADITIONAL CLOTHING OF THEIR VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS. THEY ALSO CARRIED LENGTHS OF BAMBOO, DESCRIBED BY ONE OFFICIAL AS "RIFLES" SINCE THE STUDENTS WERE IN MILITARY TRAINING THAT WEEK. STUDENTS AT THE PHU THO BOARDING SCHOOL WERE CASUALLY DRESSED DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOUR OF POLOFF'S VISIT. ¶9. COMMENT: THE BOARDING SCHOOLS REPRESENT A GOOD EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MINORITY STUDENTS AND PROVIDE THE GVN A MEANS TO BOND THEM MORE CLOSELY TO THE CENTER. THE GVN PAYS FOR NEARLY ALL OF THEIR EXPENSES AND ITS EMPLOYEES BECOME THEIR SURROGATE PARENTS. IF THE INTENTION IS TO PRODUCE LOYAL AND INVOLVED CITIZENS, THEN THE APPARENT HEAVY REPRESENTATION OF BOARDING SCHOOL ALUMNI IN THE RANKS OF TUYEN QUANG'S PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP SUGGESTS SUCCESS. IT IS LESS CLEAR, HOWEVER, WHAT CONTRIBUTION THESE SCHOOLS MAKE IN PROMOTING OR MAINTAINING TRADITIONAL MINORITY CULTURES, OR IN ENSURING THAT THE INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION PAYS OFF FOR THEIR OWN MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES. BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED