New policies take effect in May The State will prioritize investments to assist education facilities nationwide in realizing the universalization of education and eradication of illiteracy, according to Decree 20/2014/ND-CP which is scheduled to take effect since May 15.   Illustrative image. – File photo Viet Nam will also encourage and create favorable conditions for international organizations, foreign individuals and overseas Vietnamese people to join hands in universalization of education and eradication of illiteracy in accordance with the country’s law. Suspension of publishing activities The Government has issued the Decree 27/2014/ND-CP on detailed implementation of the Law on Publishing which was amended and supplemented in 2012. The Decree stipulates conditions for publishing activities and issuance of electronic publications. Accordingly, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall ask publishing houses, organizations and individuals to suspend the release of electronic publications to remedy three causes leading to the suspension. Firstly, the publishers cannot maintain required conditions for publishing activities and release of electronic publications during their operation process. Secondly, they fail to fully observe regulations on their responsibilities. Thirdly, they do not implement State agencies’ measures to manage publishing activities. Publishers shall have to terminate their operation if they fail to follow the above regulations. Enhancing the fight against high-tech crime In a bid to enhance the fight against high-tech crime, the Government has issued Decree 25/2014/ND-CP which stresses on the importance of communication and education as well as international cooperation. Communication and education shall be especially strengthened within businesses providing network infrastructure, Internet services, finance-banking and e-trade services. State competent agencies shall be active in detecting violations and take prompt measures to deal with offenders. ISO standard application in State administrative agencies PM Nguyen Tan Dung has signed a decision to pay the way for State administrative agencies to apply the national standard TCVN ISO 9001:2008 in order to improve the efficiency of processing administrative procedures. Viet Nam’s representative agencies abroad are also encouraged to apply the aforesaid national standard. New final examination regulations for upper secondary education Under a new Circular of the Ministry of Education and Training, students of upper secondary schools will have to take the final exams in four subjects, including two compulsory ones namely math and Vietnamese language. Selective subjects are physics, chemistry, biology, history, foreign language. Expansion of preferential credit The Viet Nam Bank for Social Policy will increase the volume of a preferential credit loan to a poor house to VND 50 million since May 1. The move aims to help the poor get out of poverty in a sustainable way. VGP