Efforts to bring the goal of universalizing preschool education to completion on schedule.

(Baonghean) - Despite being a large province with 11 mountainous and highland districts and limited school infrastructure, thanks to the decisive leadership and involvement of Party committees and authorities at all levels, 16 out of 21 districts, cities, and towns, and 431 out of 480 communes, wards, and townships in the province have been recognized as meeting universal education standards. The remaining units are currently being investigated, evaluated, and assessed for recognition in the near future.

Ky Son is one of the most difficult mountainous border districts in the province, with complex terrain, difficult transportation, and sparse population. Furthermore, the limited attention paid to caring for preschool children in ethnic minority communities directly impacts the universalization of preschool education for 5-year-olds.

Despite challenging conditions, Keng Du Kindergarten in Ky Son district still strives to meet the standards (In the photo: A "fairy tale garden" created by teachers and parents).

According to Mr. Luong Van Ngam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Keng Du commune, the commune has 12 villages, with a distance of 7-8 km between them through the forest, making travel difficult. To ensure the target of mobilizing children to attend school, the commune is coordinating with the District Education and Training Department to open small schools in the villages, bringing classes to the children and assigning teachers to live in the villages.

This initiative was supported by parents, who voluntarily contributed labor and materials to build classrooms in the villages, ensuring they were well-ventilated and warm. The entire commune has 11 school locations in 12 villages; the enrollment rate for preschool children aged 3-5 is 91.1%, with 99% for 5-year-olds alone.

A classroom for 5-year-old children meets universal education standards at Muong Xen Kindergarten, Ky Son District.

According to Ms. Cut Thi Nguyet, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee: "The District Party Committee has issued Directive No. 26 on replacing temporary thatched and bamboo houses with classrooms that meet three conditions for universal preschool education: a hard, flat roof (made of corrugated iron), hard walls (made of wooden planks), and a hard, cement-paved floor; directing communes and towns to include the goal and task of universal preschool education for 5-year-old children in the resolutions of the Party Committee, the People's Council, and the socio-economic development program of the locality to focus on directing and prioritizing resources for implementation."

Simultaneously, the district organized the opening of more small classes in villages and assigned teachers to live in those villages (an increase of 39 classes compared to before the project was implemented) to ensure the enrollment rate of children. As a result, the enrollment rate of preschool children increased from 88.5% (in 2011) to 94.5% (in 2015); this is a very important criterion for recognizing universal preschool education. To date, Ky Son district has 19 out of 21 communes and towns recognized as having achieved universal preschool education for 5-year-old children.

As a mountainous district, Que Phong district has assigned specific responsibilities to each relevant department and locality in directing the universalization of preschool education for 5-year-old children. This includes prioritizing the integration of resources to strengthen basic infrastructure and teaching equipment; ensuring sufficient teachers to meet the requirements for universalization; and especially promoting awareness of the role of preschool education, particularly for 5-year-olds, preparing them for primary school.

A nursery class at Nam Nhoong Kindergarten, Que Phong district.

Schools are focusing on improving the quality of childcare and education, while also organizing effective boarding school models. Currently, 13 out of 14 communes and towns in the district have been recognized as achieving universal preschool education for 5-year-old children. The only remaining commune, Tri Le, will focus on completing the universal program by 2017, according to the plan.

Implementing Decision No. 239/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on approving the Project on Universal Preschool Education for 5-Year-Old Children in the period 2010-2015, the Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 348/2010/NQ-HĐND dated December 10, 2010, on the implementation of the Project on Universal Preschool Education for 5-Year-Old Children in Nghe An province, with the goal of completion by 2015. Accordingly, from the provincial level to the grassroots, many decisive and synchronized solutions have been actively implemented, creating a general development for the preschool education sector in general and favorable conditions for 5-year-old children in particular.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training, Luu Duc Thuyen, at the beginning of the project, many 5-year-old kindergarten classes lacked equipment, learning materials, and toys, especially in remote classes and schools in mountainous districts. The enrollment rate of 5-year-old children was low. However, to date, 99.17% of 5-year-old kindergarten classes have sufficient equipment for learning and play according to regulations. The number of solid classrooms is increasing, while temporary classrooms are decreasing. In the past 5 years, 970 new classrooms have been built to replace temporary ones.

The scale and network of schools have expanded, creating more opportunities for children to attend school, especially in mountainous districts, with the opening of many classes and remote school branches under the motto "bringing classes to children". The province currently has 524 preschools, an increase of 16 schools and 125 classes for 5-year-olds compared to 2011. Of these, the number of schools meeting national standards level I increased by 121 compared to 2010, bringing the total to 273 schools meeting the standards.

The enrollment rate for preschool children has increased, with 99.8% for 5-year-olds. The teaching staff has also been increased in number and improved in quality, with 100% of teachers teaching 5-year-old preschool classes meeting the required qualifications, and 84% exceeding them.

Temporary classrooms at the branch school of Tri Le Kindergarten, Que Phong district, are currently being used.

Despite achieving many results, a survey conducted by the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Provincial People's Council in September revealed that 5 units have not yet been recognized as achieving universal preschool education for 5-year-olds (out of 21 districts, cities, and towns in the province, only 16 have achieved universalization). In particular, due to difficulties in infrastructure, the universalization efforts are not sustainable in some areas. Currently, the province has 504 borrowed or temporary classrooms, including 96 temporary or borrowed classrooms for 5-year-old classes.

A temporary classroom at Tri Le Kindergarten, Que Phong District.

The failure to meet the criteria for accreditation still occurs in some localities, such as the lack of perimeter fences, clean water facilities, and insufficient sanitation facilities for children (less than the required 10 children per toilet), or toilets that are not constructed according to specifications. Some schools lack sufficient campus space, functional classrooms, and do not meet the criteria for a green, clean, and beautiful environment.

Many preschools are experiencing a shortage of teachers according to regulations: 2 teachers per class for 5-year-olds and 1.8 teachers per class for children 5 years old and younger (at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, the entire province was still short 1,033 preschool teachers). This affects the quality of childcare as well as ensuring the safety of children when they come to school.

Many schools in Vinh City lack sufficient space, with the area behind classrooms being too cramped and not meeting regulations.

According to Mr. Luu Duc Thuyen, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training: "The unsustainability of universal preschool education for 5-year-old children is evident in the fact that currently, units only need 90% of communes and towns to be recognized as having achieved universal preschool education (meaning only 1-2 communes remain) to have met the criteria. Therefore, among the communes that have achieved it, if one commune loses a certain standard, the district will also fail to meet the criteria."

According to Ms. Ton Thi Cam Ha, Deputy Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee, to ensure the completion of universal preschool education for 5-year-old children throughout the province in 2015 as per the Project, it is necessary to expedite the review, evaluation, and completion of dossiers for the recognition of universal preschool education in the remaining 5 units. At the same time, a plan should be developed soon to evaluate and summarize the implementation of the Project on Universal Preschool Education for 5-Year-Old Children in the province from 2010-2015. From this, solutions can be developed to promote the development of preschool education in general and to firmly maintain the results of universal preschool education for 5-year-old children in the province.

Mai Hoa