The entire political system must get involved in the work of caring for and protecting children.

On the morning of July 7, the 14th session of the 18th term People's Council of Nghe An province, term 2021 - 2026, continued to conduct the question and answer session.

Comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council chaired the meeting.

Attending the working session were comrades: Nguyen Van Thong - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Hoang Nghia Hieu - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; comrades of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Party Executive Committee; delegates of the Provincial People's Council from 21 delegation groups and invited delegates.

Provincial People's Council delegates continued to focus on questioning the Director of the Department of Education and Training and the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports on the following contents: "School violence prevention; life skills education for students; accident and injury prevention, drowning; protection, care and education of children in special circumstances... Current situation, causes, responsibilities and solutions in the coming time".

On behalf of the meeting chairman, concluding the questioning session, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thanh Quy emphasized that the questioning atmosphere was lively, the Provincial People's Council delegates asked very accurate and correct questions; many were tricky questions.

The Director of the Department of Education and Training grasped the issue and answered fully, frankly and clearly. In addition, the Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports also answered and clarified the issues of concern to delegates and voters.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Council said that the question and answer session clarified the content of four issues: School violence; life skills, drowning prevention and care and protection of children in special circumstances.

These are big, difficult social issues, with many influencing factors because the subjects are students and children who are changing rapidly physically, psychologically, and are easily agitated and vulnerable. The responsibility to solve these 4 issues is also very broad, from family, school, social community and the children themselves must know how to protect themselves.

In addition, the natural and social characteristics of our province have many factors that adversely affect the implementation of the above four issues. Nghe An has harsh weather, often affected by natural disasters; the system of rivers, lakes, dams, and ponds is large, so drowning prevention is very difficult. The lives and living standards of people between regions are different and uneven, especially in mountainous areas and coastal areas, which still face many difficulties.

The downside of the development process, the market economy has many profound impacts on all classes, including students and children. Parents have to compete economically, send their children to grandparents, so children lack family care, love, sharing, protection, and education; they easily fall into social evils and bad trends.

In recent times, the Provincial People's Committee and related sectors and localities have made great efforts in carrying out the task of protecting and caring for children. From 2019 to present, the Provincial People's Committee has issued 4 directive documents, planning programs; the Department of Education and Training has issued 20 documents; related departments and sectors have coordinated to issue 8 inter-sectoral documents and from 2021 to present, 6 inspection teams have been established to direct the implementation of the above contents.

Building friendly schools, active students, and teaching life skills are given more attention. Training and skill development for teachers and members of the school psychology counseling team are given more attention. Coordination between parents, schools, the community, and local authorities is given more attention.

In addition to the achievements, according to Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thanh Quy, there are still many worrying shortcomings and limitations. School violence is still on the rise. Specifically, in 2021 there were 41 cases, in 2022 there were 45 cases, in the first 6 months of 2023 there were 51 cases. However, according to the recent monitoring report, the number of school violence cases is even higher.

School violence has a very profound impact, greatly affecting students, parents and the school. Now it is not only physical violence but also mental violence, agitation, division, even isolation leading to many painful situations.

There have been many efforts and attempts to equip students with life skills but they are still not effective and must be integrated into the subjects. The management and evaluation of the quality of life skills centers, especially the inspection and examination work, still have many limitations.

The rate of child drowning is still high. Many localities and families are still negligent in building a safe environment around the living areas of children and students, leading to many tragic drowning cases; the rate of child deaths due to drowning is still high, and the rate of students being taught to swim is still low.

In addition, the rate of children in particularly difficult circumstances is still high. Surveys and understanding of the situation of children in particularly difficult circumstances and the need for support in some localities have not been done well. Many children in particularly difficult circumstances have not had access to support services.

Emphasizing the tasks and solutions in the coming time, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thanh Quy requested the Provincial People's Committee, sectors and localities to continue to strengthen propaganda to raise awareness, turn it into action for all classes of people and teachers, and determine the entire political system to participate in caring for and protecting children, all for the future of our children.

"Teachers must not only teach about their subject matter but must also have enough tolerance, love, and depth to grasp the psychology and physiology of students, give love, and arouse their aspirations. At the same time, they must propagate so that students know how to protect themselves," emphasized Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thanh Quy.

On the other hand, focus on leading the construction of a safe, healthy, friendly educational environment, preventing violence, associated with the development of specific scenarios to promptly resolve and handle problems and situations that arise.

In particular, focusing on educating revolutionary ideals, ethics, lifestyle and arousing the desire to contribute to youth and children must be done truly, not only in schools but also in families and society.

Focus on understanding students' psychology to promptly advise and resolve conflicts that arise, avoiding physical and mental conflicts for students. Focus on coordinating with relevant units to ensure school safety and security so that students and teachers can feel secure in teaching and learning.

Focus on building, consolidating and promoting the role of Youth Union, Pioneers, Associations and student psychological counseling teams at schools in accompanying students with a practical perspective, educating, guiding and orienting them.

Regularly train, coach, update and disseminate laws and pedagogical skills for teachers to ensure that teachers are truly qualified; capable of covering, supporting and helping students.

Research on increasing the duration of life skills education, integrating it into Civics, Natural and Social Education subjects, and experiential activities according to the 2018 General Education Program, paying attention to quality at life skills centers.

In particular, in life skills education, it is necessary to focus on teaching skills in emotional management, behavioral skills, conflict resolution, social networking skills, and how to behave on social networks.

Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Chairman of the Provincial People's Council also requested the sectors, units and localities to closely coordinate with each family in the work of preventing drowning with the motto "go to every alley, knock on every door". Review the criteria to support swimming teaching and learning. In terms of long-term trends, research to include swimming in teaching in schools.

Strictly and effectively implement regulations related to the protection, care and education of children in especially difficult circumstances. The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Department of Education and Training promptly conduct a comprehensive review to develop support plans for each target group, paying attention to policy impacts on children. Increase the mobilization of social resources to care for disadvantaged children.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thanh Quy requested the Provincial People's Committee to direct departments, branches and localities to implement the above solutions. The Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Council Committees, the delegations and delegates of the Provincial People's Council continue to supervise and monitor the implementation of the conclusions of the questioning session.