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Social Headlines December 24
Universities
urged to raise calibre of part-time courses
Universities
and colleges should make efforts to improve the quality of their part-time
training programmes, experts said at a recent workshop.
Ngo
Minh Oanh, head of the Institute for Education Research, said this is
critical to reducing the load on the education system and implementing the
policy of diversifying training forms.
Part-time
courses have mushroomed in recent years because they are lucrative, he said.
But
many have ignored the need to keep the quality of the training high, he
added.
Dr
Nguyen Hai Hang, deputy director and head of training affairs at the
Nguyen
Van Thang of the Hue University of Education blamed the low quality on
failure to focus on learning, with most enrolling just to get a degree.
Some
universities like his set the bar high for admission to these courses but end
up not attracting many applicants, he said.
Referring
to other shortcomings, he said many universities do not update curricula for
the programmes and teach just theory.
For
instance, chemistry and physics students at his university never do
experiments in the laboratory.
Pham
Thi Lan Phuong of the Institute for Education Research said universities and
colleges should focus on updating curricula.
The
size of classrooms should be reduced, she said, pointing out that online
learning would be appropriate for these programmes.
Nguyen
Cao Dat, vice rector of the Cuu Long University, stressed the role of
university leaders, saying they should pay more attention to training quality
and have solutions for improving if it is poor.
Tests
and assessment should be similar to that of regular courses to ensure
quality, he added.
Dao
Cong Hai, Deputy Head of the Department of Oaverseas labour (DOLAB) under the
Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA), reveals Vietnam
has dispatched almost 79,000 workers abroad as of November 2013 and is
expecting to surpass the 85,000 guest worker goal by the end of this year.
The
recovery of the overseas labour markets in late 2013 has prompted MOLISA to
propose an increase in a 2014 labour export quota to the government.
The
MoLISA is focused on major labour markets such as
Skilled
Vietnamese workers have been employed in manufacturing, garments and
textiles, and electronics. The RoK and
Hai
says his department is coordinating with relevant agencies to raise financial
fines on businesses demanding exorbitant fees from employees. Businesses are
now paying between VND30-50 million if found to violate regulations.
The
department will also take drastic measures to reduce the number of labourers
absconding from work or overstaying their visas, especially in the RoK and
The
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and its
Participants
pledged to coordinate their research on essential areas, supporting
socio-economic development and national security in each country.
They
also finalised a 2014–2016 project designed to improve the quality of
research and the standard of technology at the Laos National Academy of Social
Sciences.
The
project is one of the many scientific programmes organised under the two
nations’ comprehensive cooperation agreement.
VAST
will help scientific agencies in Laos with research and human resources
development in the interests of consolidating the friendship and special
solidarity uniting both countries.
UNICEF
praises
Chief
Representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam Lotta Sylwander
has hailed
However,
the country’s primary school completion rate is 92%, not quite all yet.
The
UNICEF representative also said
The
challenges of providing quality education services for ethnic minority groups
have been a significant barrier to the achievement of the Government’s
target.
Sylwander
said language, school conditions and transportation have led to high school
dropout rates among ethnic minority students.
The
UNICEF representative urged
When
talking about UNICEF’s plans to support
UNICEF
is also assisting
UNICEF
has also worked with the Vietnamese side to implement initiatives and
programmes to help disadvantaged children get access to education, added
Sylwander.
Controlling
Vietnamese-Cambodian cross-border drug trafficking
The
signatories were Tay Ninh Provincial People’s Committee Vice Chairman Tran
Luu Quang and the Deputy Governor of Cambodian provinces Kam Pong Cham and
Svay Rieng.
The
six agreed-upon spheres of cooperation for 2014 focus on implementing the
2000 anti-drug and drug precursor trafficking action plan as well as
increasing operational efficiency at the Moc Bai-Bavet and Xamat-Treapeng
Phlong international border gates.
Both
sides have committed to close collaboration in information collection and
collation, criminal investigations, and enforcement actions.
Vice
Chairman Quang noted that from October 2011 to October 2013, the combined
forces of the three Vietnamese and Cambodian provinces tried 16 cases,
prosecuted 22 traffickers, and seized 21,435 kg of drugs (including 1,118 kg
of heroin).
Discussing
the management of social transformation
Entitled
“Societal Vulnerability”, the forum was organised by the Vietnamese
Government in collaboration with UNESCO.
It
focused its attention on the social transformations arising from global
environmental change, and social integration—two priorities in UNESCO’s
Management of Social Transformations Programme.
Delegates
expressed ASEAN’s shared aspirations for a global solution to climate
change’s many challenges and an ASEAN community resilient and flexible enough
to address those challenges on national and regional levels.
Existing
legal frameworks incorporate climate change mitigation and adaptation
programmes, but there is a need for policies that tackle the impact of
environmental changes on communities and social inclusion.
The
forum proposed recommendations and practical policy options to strengthen
social inclusion within these legal and institutional frameworks.
The
forum is part of a wider Social Development Ministerial Forum series under
UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations Programme.
The
series of forums is attempting to facilitate policy design and implementation
based on rigorous social science. Its policy-oriented dialogues encourage
innovation and welcome both experts and senior decision-makers.
According
to Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) Vice President, the forum meets
urgent requirements to ensure people’s basic rights, including the right to
live in safety and the right to be protected from risks posed by climate
change.
Southeast
Asian nations are prone to climate change, in which
Delegates
called for the enhancement of the role of social sciences in addressing
social integration challenges in the context of environmental change.
The
People's Committee of HCM City has approved the conversion of 360 apartments
in a 15-storey building into social housing project.
The
developer of the project in the Thoi An residential area, the Sai Gon- Gia
Dinh Real Estate Joint Stock Company, began construction last Saturday.
The
apartments will be sold for VND10-11.6 million per square metre under a
proposal of the city's People's Committee.
The
15-ha Thoi An residential area project in District 12 was designed to provide
the market with 1,125 units, including 312 townhouses, 99 villas, 354
low-cost apartments and 360 apartments of social housing.
The
construction will take 20 months to be completed.
Speaking
at the groundbreaking ceremony, Nguyen Tran
Four
social housing projects began construction over the past two months, and many
more are expected to begin construction in the next few months, according to
The
country has a total of 124 social housing projects for low-income residents
and workers at industrial parks, with more slated to open.
Investment
for the projects, which have a total of 78,700 apartments, has amounted to
VND30.67 trillion ($1.45 billion), according to the Ministry of
Construction's Real Estate Market and Housing Management Department.
Eighty-five
of the housing projects, which have a total of 51,895 apartments, are for
low-income residents. They are valued at a total of VND23.82 trillion ($1.13
billion).
Odorous
garbage clogs local roads
Nguyen
Van Binh, a 69-year-old man living in the capital's Thach That District, said
he felt very bad about the area surrounding where he lives.
He
said he and other people in the area had been living with trash surrounding
their community for almost ten years.
"Waste
from craft villages, workshops and households are all thrown onto the street.
Flies are all over our houses when summer comes," Binh said, regarding
the road connecting his Thai Hoa hamlet in Binh Phu Commune and the adjacent
Gieng hamlet in Huu Bang Commune.
Sadly,
what Binh described is not a rare sight in the district, as the suburban area
is seeing more industrialisation while leaving behind roads drowning in piles
of garbage.
After
almost a decade, Voi dyke route has been transformed into a refuse collecting
site where local residents from the neighbouring Kim Quan and Lien Quan
Communes throw garbage.
In
fact, trash covers almost half of Dong Xa road in Kim Quan Commune. People
say the road was originally a refuse collecting site, but a twice-monthly
garbage collection truck seemed not frequent enough, causing trash to pile
higher every day.
In the
same vein, the route runs through three communes, Huong Ngai, Canh Nau and Di
Nau, which is blocked by waste, both on and along the road.
Heavy
smoke from burning garbage adds to the odour and jammed traffic to make this
entry road to Canh Nau Commune a hot spot of environmental pollution.
Compounding
matters, people continue discarding trash wherever they choose.
"Not
only are people suffered from the trash, but rice and corn fields are now
being harmed. People turned to the fields to discard garbage, as there was no
more room to throw garbage. Trash is filling up the channels and taking over
our fields," complained Can Thi Thu, who is erecting canvas to protect
her paddy fields from trash in Phu Kim Commune.
Though
the issue has been raised many times, local authorities have still not
proposed a solution.
According
to Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai, an official of Thach That District's Division of
Natural Resources and Environment, carts are mainly used to collect waste
once every two days, or once a day in communes that dispose of large amounts
of trash.
"A
part of the waste from craft villages, such as sawdust and shredded wood, can
be recycled, but most are heaped together with household waste. Too much
waste from these villages, along with sitting trash and limited disposal
locations, resulted in roads being filled by garbage. The waste disposal
capacity is being overloaded," she added.
Approximately
80 tonnes of waste is disposed of every day, yet only 18 out of 23 communes
and towns in Thach That District have garbage collectors.
A
waste disposal factory, 10 hectares in width and capable of handling 100
tonnes of trash per day, was planned, but has not been built. In the
meantime, local authorities are looking for a more advanced technology that
is suitable for the district.
"The
municipal authorities should find ways for planning and for more investment
in new refuse collection locations. Also, the waste disposal capacity should
be increased. In the meantime, it is important to invest in more advanced
waste disposal technologies, in small and middle ranges, as well as building
a model for collective waste disposal. That is the only way to address the
overwhelming trash backlog situation," Hoai said.
Communication
helps blood donation drive
About
35,000 litres of blood have been donated in the capital city, Ha Noi, so far
this year, exceeding the entire year's goal for blood donations by two per
cent.
The
outcome was attributed to the city's efforts at promoting diverse
communication campaigns that helped citizens from all walks of life to
understand and become actively involved in the blood donation drive.
A
blood donation club was also established, with more than 100 people ready to
donate blood for emergency cases.
As
many as 3,000 students from universities and colleges across the city now
regularly donate blood to hospitals.
In
2014, Ha Noi aims to ensure that blood donations increase to 125,000 units.
Maths
innovations neccesary for growth
The
most recent advances in mathematics were highlighted at a two-day Viet Nam
International Applied Mathematics Conference that ended yesterday in
Prof.
Tong Dinh Quy, deputy chairman and general secretary of the Viet Nam Society
for Applied Mathematics, said the Government in recent years had poured more
money into mathematics research and application.
Applied
mathematics has been used in many fields, including the military, defence,
security and major economic sectors such as electricity, petroleum, and
agriculture, he added.
He
said that applied mathematics' use was an important tool to increase economic
competitiveness.
Dr
Nguyen Huu Luc, former vice chairman of the Office of the President,
suggested that scientists work together to solve problems related to
industrial parks, weather forecasting, climate change and urban traffic.
He
said the Government should develop more preferential policies to create
conditions for the application of mathematics research.
The
conference was organised by the Viet Nam Society for Applied Mathematics in
co-operation with the International Institute for Research and Training and
Development of Human Resource and
The
conference attracted more than 100 academics from
Mathematical
models and methods are often used in other countries in strategies aimed at
controlling crime, according to the International Council for Industrial and
Applied Mathematics.
They
are instrumental in describing the possible scenarios associated with
government policies, and in simulating the effects of different choices.
Such
models can give public authorities important tools in developing social
measures and the deployment of police forces.
Other
international conferences on mathematical research, education and
applications will be organised at the
Campaign
pushes local drugs
A
programme to increase knowledge among doctors, hospital managers and the
community about using local drugs was launched by the Drug Administration of
Viet Nam (DAV) yesterday in Ha Noi.
The
programme is part of the campaign to encourage Vietnamese to purchase
locally-manufactured products and to boost the country's pharmaceutical
industry, while ensuring adequate supplies for disease prevention and
treatment.
The
programme will focus on 100 locally-made drugs that have been proven to be of
high quality, and are safe and effective in treatment, said DAV director
Truong Quoc Cuong, adding that the programme had gained increasing levels of
trust from the public each year.
Cuong
noted that the programme was expected to become an important criteria in
evaluating the quality of local drugs, popularising the country's
pharmaceutical industry and local drugs in the community.
The
programme would be an important bridge connecting management, people and drug
companies in raising people's knowledge about locally produced drugs and
doctors' roles and responsibilities towards assuring effective prescription
and drug use, according to health minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien.
"It
is necessary to prove that locally made drugs are of high quality and cheap
prices, compared to imported drugs, and suitable for the poor in rural,
remote and mountainous areas," said Tien.
DAV's
statistics indicated that the country's pharmaceutical market had reached
US$30 billion in 2012.
Delta
sugar farmers hit by lower prices
Sugarcane
farmers in the Cuu Long (
Ho
Thanh Kiet, head of the Cu Lao Dung District's Agriculture and Rural
Development Bureau in southern
"Therefore,
many farmers will stop growing sugarcane after this harvest," he said.
In Cu
Lao Dung, which has the largest area under sugarcane in Soc Trang, farmers
have harvested more than 600ha out of the 8,200ha of the crop. Traders now
offer a price of VND850-890 per kilo of sugarcane that has 10CCS (commercial
content sugar).
Sugarcane
prices are low because of declining sugar prices caused by large inventories
and an increase in smuggled sugar.
Truong
Van Hien, chairman of the 200-Tonne Sugarcane Club in Phung Hiep District's
Hiep Hung Commune in Hau Giang Province, said local authorities and farmers
have worked together to improve sugarcane quality and yield over the past
years. The club's members achieve a high yield of 200 tonnes per hectare, he
said.
Nguyen
The Tu, head of the Phung Hiep Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau, said
sugarcane is the district's key crop but prices have been unstable over the
past few years.
This
year farmers have suffered an average loss of VND12 million (US$570) per
hectare, he said.
The
area under the crop is likely to reduce during the next sugarcane crop, he
said. Phuong Phu Commune alone has reported that the area would shrink by
500ha.
Tu
said the district plans to keep the sugarcane-growing area at 5,000ha in the
long term. But it would have to invest more in mechanisation and high-yield
sugarcane strains to reduce production costs.
At the
beginning of each crop, farmers should inter-crop in sugarcane fields to earn
more income, he added.
In
provinces like Long An, Ca Mau, Kien Giang, and Tra Vinh, many sugarcane
farmers have already switched to other crops.
In
Long An, many have started to grow lime, which fetches a profit of VND100-200
million per hectare.
Le
Minh Duc, director of the Long An Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development, said the province plans to keep the area under sugarcane at
13,000ha in Ben Luc, Duc Hoa, Duc Hue and Thu Thua districts to supply the
province's two sugar mills.
But
agriculture departments in several delta provinces warned that if sugarcane
prices are low and demand is unstable, the area under the crop would continue
to shrink. Then mills would face a shortage of cane.
In Tra
Vinh, local authorities in conjunction with the Tra Vinh Sugar Company have
rolled out policies to support sugarcane farmers during the next crop.
Farmers
who sign contracts to sell to the company will get on credit 8-10 tonnes of
sugarcane stem cuttings, 2,600kg of fertilisers, 25-35kg of pesticides and an
advance of VND12 million per hectare.
Nguyen
Hien, the company's director, said experts have predicted that sugarcane
prices would not increase any time soon.
The
country is expected to produce around 1.6 million tonnes of sugar in the
2013-14 season, while demand is around 1.3 million tonnes, according to the
Viet Nam Sugarcane and Sugar Association.
Farms
adopt hygiene standards
Vietnamese
producers can now easily apply VietGAP food safety standards on their
products, thanks to new guidelines.
VietGAP,
a certificate that imposes strict regulations on the quality of agricultural
products, is part of a project that is being jointly implemented by the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Canadian International
Development Agency.
The
total project, started in 2008, has an investment of CAD17 million (US$16
million).
Nguyen
Van Doang, coordinator of the project, told a conference on Wednesday that the
guidelines for applying VietGAP standards have been completed and include all
steps involved in the processing, packing and trading of vegetables, fruit,
pork and chicken.
Based
on these guidelines, as many as 15 pilot models of vegetable and fruit production,
11 pig farms, 11 chicken farms and six slaughter houses in seven cities and
provinces have been certified as VietGAP.
The
project has helped farmers build a trademark, logo and sale areas for these
products.
The
initial feedback from six supermarkets of Saigon Co-opmart show that
consumers have accepted VietGAP vegetables, which are priced 2.1 per cent
higher than other vegetables.
As
many as 11 out of 15 models of vegetable and fruit production and three
models of chicken farms had contracts to supply goods to the supermarkets.
The
project is currently helping to develop a supply chain of hygienic products
in 33 cities and provinces for both domestic consumption and export, he said.
Deputy
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu said that
many farmers have used the guidelines as a handbook for producing safe and
hygienic agricultural products and foodstuff.
She
said that thanks to the guidelines, the ministry has begun a programme for
developing safe food chains, which will be implemented nationwide after it
receives official approval. The programme will change farmers' outlook on
agricultural production and will benefit both farmers and consumers.
Source: VNA/VOV/VNS/ND/SGGP
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Thứ Hai, 23 tháng 12, 2013
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