Encouraging learning and talent contributes to fostering the tradition of studiousness in Nghe An.

Nghe An is a land of studiousness. That tradition has been nurtured from generation to generation and promoted by the work of encouraging learning and talent. Photo: Duc Anh

Learning is a lifelong, ongoing task.

PV:Sir, in recent days, we have received good news when Vinh city wasUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)recognized as "“Global Learning City”So, what are the criteria for recognition, sir?

Dr. Tran Xuan Bi:It is with great excitement and honor that on September 23, 2020, Vinh City (Nghe An) was recognized by UNESCO as a city participating in the Global Learning Cities Network. Vinh City was recognized by UNESCO for implementing lifelong learning at the local level.

Up to this point, the organization of assessment and recognition of learning cities and inclusion in the UNESCO Global Learning Cities System is completely independent. Vinh city is assessed by UNESCO as one of the largest training and education centers in the Central region. Our city is also recognized as a locality with a tradition of studiousness, the city's education network is capable of meeting the diverse learning and development needs of the people with many universities, colleges, training facilities, vocational schools and hundreds of schools from high school to kindergarten.

At the Ceremony to honor good children and excellent students, beloved Uncle Ho's grandchildren in 2020 organized by the Youth Union of Provincial Agencies, the Provincial Association for Promotion of Education awarded prizes to students with high achievements in the 2019-2020 school year. Photo: Duc Anh.

Along with Vinh city, Sa Dec city (Dong Thap) and more than 50 other cities from 27 countries have also been recognized by UNESCO as learning cities. From the above assessment of UNESCO on lifelong learning of Vinh city residents, it can be seen that the construction of family, clan, community and learning unit models in the period of 2016 - 2020 with many criteria has brought positive results. Sa Dec and Vinh are assessed by UNESCO to have demonstrated that effective policies and practices on learning can "support the development of vibrant, integrated, safe and sustainable cities".

PV:Over the years,UNESCO plays an important role in developing the concepts of lifelong learning and learning societies. This is also one of the ongoing tasks ofassociation for the promotion of educationimplementation levels. In the current context, how can we understand the concepts of lifelong learning and learning society and how they will be implemented, sir?

Dr. Tran Xuan Bi:In recent times, Vietnam has quickly caught up with the global trend of building the whole country into a learning society, creating favorable conditions and environments for lifelong learning for every citizen. The Government has also approved work projects and assigned sectors and localities to concretize the contents of this great and long-term project. Specifically, in the period of 2012-2020, the Prime Minister issued the Project: "Building a learning society in the period of 2012-2020". This major project includes 7 component projects, in which the Association for Promotion of Learning is assigned to implement the Project "Promoting the lifelong learning movement in families, clans, and communities until 2020". This project was approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 281/QD-TTg dated February 20, 2014. Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW, dated November 4, 2013 of the Party Central Committee (11th tenure) "On fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training" also clearly states that one of the basic tasks and solutions to implement fundamental and comprehensive innovation of Vietnam's education is "perfecting the national education system towards an open education system, lifelong learning and building a learning society".

Through the documents that have been deployed, we can understand that the implementation of building a learning society is aimed at a society where everyone can learn, needs to learn and voluntarily learn regularly and for life. There, everyone has access to favorable learning opportunities and takes self-study along with their will and perseverance to bring benefits to themselves, their families and society. Learning should not be understood as just learning at school, at a certain age, but "all intentional learning activities throughout an individual's life from birth to death, according to formal, non-formal and informal education methods" - in accordance with the spirit of lifelong learning of UNESCO.

In recent years, the construction of a learning society - lifelong learning in Vietnam in general and in our province in particular has been paid attention to by the Party Committee and the government and implemented synchronously in all areas of economic and social life of the country. In particular, the Association for the Promotion of Learning at all levels has been assigned to advise and implement the construction of a learning society - lifelong learning from each family to the clan, to the village, hamlet, village, residential group...

Happy to build the tradition of learning

PV:Nghe An is considered one of the provinces and cities that do a good job in promoting learning and talent. Please list the specific results that Nghe An has achieved in recent years. What does this mean for the education career of your province, especially for a province with a tradition of studiousness like Nghe An??

Dr. Tran Xuan Bi:In recent years, especially in the period of 2016-2020, Nghe An Association for Promotion of Education has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue Decision No. 1360/2015/QD. The People's Committee-VX issued a Plan to deploy and build learning models in the spirit of Decision No. 281/2014/TTg. After 5 years of implementation, the movement to promote education in Nghe An has achieved very proud results. That is, promoting and maintaining emulation movements to promote education that have positive and practical effects in encouraging, motivating, and supporting the learning of students, university students as well as the elderly in the province such as: Lifelong learning movement in families, clans, and communities - building learning families, learning clans, learning communities, learning units; Movement "Nghe An Promotion of Education Month", "Nghe An Promotion of Education Tet"; Movement "Drums, gongs for studying"; Chicken flock - Banana garden - Fish pond - Garden of trees for learning; Spring writing; Raising plastic pigs - piggy banks for learning...

Photo: Duc Anh

Thanks to the study encouragement movement, contributions of human and material resources from the people and businesses, and generous sponsors have been mobilized to build school facilities, scholarships for excellent students at all levels, students who overcome difficulties to go to school to study and improve their education. Fortunately, despite the many difficulties in the province's socio-economic conditions, in recent years, the Study Encouragement Fund at all levels has mobilized 63-65 billion VND/year and awarded nearly 200,000 study encouragement awards and scholarships to students. These are also the most meaningful and greatest achievements that the study encouragement work has brought, promptly encouraging and supporting students to overcome difficulties, excel in their studies and contributing to promoting the studious spirit of students in Nghe An.

PV:We have just summarized 5 years of implementing Q.Decision 281/QD-TTg approving the Project “Promoting lifelong learning movement in families, clans, and communities by 2020”. Among the achievements that Nghe An has achieved, the indicators on the implementation of learning families, learning streams, learning units, and learning communities have all met and exceeded the set plan. However, how these models can be maintained and operated is actually a matter of concern.?

Dr. Tran Xuan Bi:After 5 years of mass implementation of building learning families, learning clans, learning communities, and learning units, Nghe An has achieved very encouraging results, with over 75-80% of families, clans, and communities achieving the titles of Learning Families, Learning Clans, Learning Communities, and Learning Units.

Nationwide, Nghe An is also a locality that is highly appreciated in implementing and building models. That success is achieved by building learning families, learning clans, learning communities, and learning units that are suitable for the interests of the people and the trends of the times. At the same time, there is a connection between the learning of children and family members and the success, career and career of their children and grandchildren; and an increasingly prosperous business, with the spiritual and cultural life of the family.

In recent times, the movement to build learning models has also received attention from Party committees and authorities at all levels; sectors, unions, social organizations, enterprises... have joined in, joining hands to promote learning. We also have a team of brothers and sisters who are dedicated to promoting learning, to their assigned mission. Currently, the system of major policies of the Party and State on promoting learning, promoting talents, and building a learning society is complete and consistent, creating a clear ideological and political corridor; a strong enough legal corridor for sustainable development in building a learning society, first of all, learning families, learning clans, learning communities, and learning units.

Photo: Duc Anh

From the above results, we can also see that the development and maintenance of good models is not temporary but has been associated with real life quickly and stably. Nghe An is a land with a long tradition of learning. This tradition is often aroused and nurtured by emulation movements to encourage learning, encourage talents, build a learning society, which has great attraction and power to promote learning, training, self-cultivation, career establishment, serving the Fatherland and homeland. Therefore, as long as learning is still valued, the models that we have built will continue to be preserved and nurtured, from generation to generation, from generation to generation.

P.V:Encouraging learning and talent is not the sole responsibility of associations at all levels.khematology is the responsibility of all departments and branches,groups and to each village,neighborhood, each family. HumanNVietnam Education Promotion Day (2/10)What do you want to say so that the work of promoting learning and talent in Nghe An becomes more effective and achieves the set goals?

Nghe An is a land with a long tradition of studiousness. This tradition is regularly aroused and nurtured through emulation movements to encourage learning, encourage talents, and build a learning society. It has great appeal and power to promote learning, training, self-cultivation, career establishment, and service to the Fatherland and homeland. Photo: Duc Anh

Dr. Tran Xuan Bi:Through the movement to build and develop learning models, the system of learning promotion associations in the province has made strong progress in terms of quantity and quality of associations and members. Up to now, the total number of members in the province has reached over 660,000, accounting for 20.6% of the province's population. These are also positive factors, dedicated day and night, helping the province's learning promotion work achieve outstanding achievements in recent years, becoming a bright spot in the country's learning promotion work. On the occasion of Vietnam's Learning Promotion Day, I wish you all joy in the work of promoting learning, promoting talents, building a learning society, contributing to building Nghe An province to soon become a learning society.

PV:Thank you!