Cooperation in human resource training creates a bridge to promote Vietnam - Laos solidarity - Part 4
Human resource training has always been a top priority in the cooperative relationship between Nghe An province and the provinces of Laos. Accordingly, Nghe An has issued many policies and directed the implementation of many programs and activities to help the provinces of Laos build and develop their staff, meeting the needs of human resource development in the new situation.
Issue new support policies
Every year, based on the Minutes of Cooperation between Nghe An province and neighboring Lao provinces (Hua Phan, Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamxay) and the written requests of Lao provinces with traditional cooperative relations (Vientiane, Kham Muon, Savannakhet, Xay Som Bun); the Department of Foreign Affairs presides over and coordinates with the Department of Education and Training to synthesize a report and submit it to the People's Committee of Nghe An province for approval in principle, and at the same time request the provinces of Laos to conduct enrollment and send cadres, students and pupils to study in Nghe An.
Laotian students are usually trained in Vietnamese for 10 months at Nghe An Pedagogical College. After completing the Vietnamese language training course, some students who are cadres continue to return to Laos to work, the remaining students, based on their Vietnamese language learning results and their wishes and training needs, are selected to study majors with Vietnamese students at universities in Nghe An. Each school year, Nghe An province offers about 200 full scholarships to children from Lao provinces.
Nghe An province has also issued many policies to support neighboring provinces in developing their staff, meeting the human resource needs in the new situation. In particular, at the end of 2023, Nghe An Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 22/QD-HDND dated December 7, 2023, stipulating policies to support the training of Lao students studying abroad under the educational cooperation agreement between Nghe An province and neighboring Lao provinces studying at educational institutions in Nghe An.
Resolution No. 22/QD-HDND was issued to create conditions to improve the quality of activities to support high-quality human resource training for Lao provinces in the coming time. Accordingly, Lao students studying the 2018 General Education Program at high school level (including the Vietnamese language preparatory program and supplementary knowledge for junior high school); training at intermediate, college, university, master's and doctoral levels (including training in the form of articulation from college to university) are proposed to be supported with living expenses including: Food and accommodation, pocket money, school supplies and other personal expenses at the rate of 3.696 million VND/person/month. Meanwhile, students participating in training, granting certificates of the Vietnamese language preparatory program according to the Vietnamese language competency framework for foreigners, and training to improve professional knowledge are supported with living expenses of 3 million VND/person/month.
Regarding support time: For Laotian students studying at intermediate, college, university, master's, and doctoral levels (including training in the form of articulation from college to university), they will be supported for 12 months/school year. For Laotian students studying the 2018 General Education Program at high school level (including the Vietnamese language preparatory program and supplementary knowledge for junior high school); Vietnamese language preparatory program according to the Vietnamese language competency framework for foreigners; training to improve professional knowledge, with a training time of less than 12 months, they will be supported according to the actual study time each year.
According to Resolution No. 22/QD-HDND, universities, vocational education institutions, general education institutions; related organizations and individuals in Nghe An province are also supported to spend on teaching and learning; document translation and interpretation; repair of facilities and equipment for teaching, practice, and living facilities for Lao students staying in dormitories; training management expenses; expenses for making records, admission procedures, expenses for summarizing and ending courses, rewarding students; expenses for general medical examinations at the beginning of the course, expenses for general medical examinations every year, etc.
The newly issued resolution with increased support levels not only helps Lao students study with peace of mind but also helps schools have more financial conditions to invest in facilities and equipment to further improve training quality; tighten the good cooperative relationship between Nghe An and provinces of Laos, especially in the field of education and training.
.jpg)
Souk Thi Da (born in 2008) from Sa Van Na Khet province - one of 31 Lao students selected to study high school in Nghe An in the first batch, has just completed the basic Vietnamese language training class at Ethnic Minority High School No. 2 and happily shared: "Through the teachers, we learned that Nghe An province has just issued a new policy to support Lao students with more content and higher support levels. This support policy is a great encouragement to help us study with peace of mind, especially for students from poor families whose parents are farmers. At the same time, it gives us more motivation to continue studying after completing high school. "I myself hope to study medicine in Nghe An to realize my dream of becoming a doctor."
Prioritize learning and living environment
From 2011 to the end of 2023, Nghe An province has organized human resource training for 7 provinces of Laos, with 2,322 students who have been studying basic Vietnamese language preparatory training programs, undergraduate and postgraduate, at training facilities in the province (of which, 1,157 are in cooperation with the province). Currently, there are over 600 international students in cooperation studying training programs.
Not only receiving financial support, at educational institutions in Nghe An, Lao students are arranged to stay in dormitories, use the school's facilities, equipment, and technical means to serve their lives, study, and scientific research. They also regularly participate in collective activities, various types of clubs, Vietnamese cultural and sports competitions, seminars, cultural exchanges, volunteer activities, etc. In addition, on holidays, Vietnamese New Year, and Lao Bunpimay traditional New Year, universities and colleges allow Lao students to take time off to return home to visit their families or organize commemorative activities for students to interact with Vietnamese students and exchange about the traditions and cultural identities of each country.
During their studies, some universities and colleges have organized for Lao students to visit historical sites, scenic spots and landscapes such as Ho Chi Minh Square, Kim Lien National Special Monument, Cua Lo beach... so that students can gain more practical knowledge as well as learn more about the country, people and culture of Vietnam.
At Nghe An Pedagogical College, after more than 20 years of implementing the task of training Vietnamese for foreigners, the school has trained more than 1,500 international students who are officials of districts, departments, branches, and high school students of 7 provinces of Xieng Khouang, Bolikhamxay, Hua Phan, Vientiane, Savannakhet, Kham Muon and Xay Som Bun of Lao PDR. After graduating from Vietnamese at Nghe An Pedagogical College, many international students who are Lao officials have promoted their Vietnamese language skills in communication and working with partners who are Vietnamese organizations and individuals to serve their work well.
In addition to organizing Vietnamese language teaching, Nghe An Pedagogical College also regularly organizes for Lao students to participate in cultural, artistic, physical education and sports exchange activities, visit historical and cultural relics, famous landscapes and landscapes in Nghe An province and some provinces and cities across the country... Thereby, helping Lao students to expand their vocabulary and have the opportunity to practice Vietnamese communication, understand more about customs, habits, homeland, country, Vietnamese people in general and Nghe An land in particular, contributing to enhancing the solidarity, cooperation and special friendship between the two peoples of Vietnam and Laos in general and between Nghe An province and Lao provinces in particular.
Some universities have established many club models to create opportunities to supplement Vietnamese language, supplement specialized knowledge, enhance extracurricular activities, exchange and learn for Laotian students. Typically, Nghe An University of Economics established the "Vietnam - Laos Student Friendship Club", Vinh University established the International Volunteer Student Team; Vietnamese Language Club, Cham Pa Flower Club, Overseas Students Liaison Board and Lao Alumni - a place to connect friendly exchange activities between Vietnamese and Lao students.
Souk Thi Da - Head of the Laotian student delegation at Vinh University said: During our years of studying at the school, we were treated equally and given all the conditions for studying and training. Laotian students were given the opportunity to participate in many activities such as the Champa Flower Club, the Samakhi Club, and volunteer movements for the community... Each activity gave us many experiences, skills, and experiences that are "valuable assets" for our future work.
Strengthening friendly activities
Realizing the importance of cooperation in training high-quality human resources in the relationship between the two peoples of Vietnam and Laos, every year the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of Nghe An province has coordinated with universities and colleges where Lao students are studying to organize activities to visit and encourage Lao students studying in Nghe An on holidays, Tet, important events in the Vietnam - Laos relationship; organize competitions to learn about Vietnamese culture, Vietnamese speaking competitions for Lao students...
Colonel Vi To Dinh (former Deputy Commander of Nghe An Border Guard) - Vice President of the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of Nghe An province said: During the 2014 - 2022 term, implementing the Homestay Exchange Program with Lao students deployed by the Provincial Union of Friendship Organizations, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of Nghe An province had 120 member families respond, become twin brothers with over 200 Lao students, and over 400 students participated in exchanges with member families in Vinh city. During the term, the association supported scholarships for 240 Lao students studying at universities and colleges in the province with a total amount of 120 million VND. In 2023, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Association of Nghe An province supported 45 scholarships worth more than 22 million VND for 45 Lao students studying at a number of schools in the province with good achievements in studying and training... thereby contributing to building and fostering the special solidarity between Vietnam and Laos.
In addition, implementing the "Step Up to School" Program, Nghe An Border Guard is currently sponsoring 16 Lao students with difficult circumstances in the villages across the border, thereby creating a good impression with the Party Committee, government and ethnic people of Laos in the border area.
It can be said that Nghe An province's cooperation in training human resources and implementing many support activities in the field of education and training for Lao provinces is a meaningful work, contributing to strengthening and promoting the special friendship and cooperation in many fields between Nghe An province and other provinces in particular, and between Vietnam and Laos in general.
Speaking at the Conference summarizing the training and management of Lao students held at Vinh University in 2023, Mr. Sengphet HoungBungNuang - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao PDR to Vietnam highly appreciated the achievements of cooperation in human resource development for Laos by the Party, the Government of Vietnam as well as the Ministry of Education and Training, and Vietnamese educational institutions. Although the task of training human resources is very heavy, with the experience and dedication of universities and educational institutions in Vietnam as well as the coordination between ministries, departments and branches, Mr. Sengphet HoungBungNuang expressed his belief that the training and management of Lao students will be increasingly improved in quality...
