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| Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Ito Naoki posed for a photo with representatives of Plan International Japan. |
The project, which aims to improve learning environments from a gender equality perspective at primary and lower secondary schools, will run for three years (2025-2028). It is being implemented in six communes in Tuyen Quang Province and three communes in Lai Chau Province - mountainous areas where many ethnic minority children still face familiar barriers on their path to school, including long distances, limited living conditions, and a lack of safe spaces for learning and development.
In its first year, the project supported 13 primary schools and 13 lower secondary schools, with a total budget of approximately VND 15.7 billion. As a result of this support, gradual changes have begun to take shape in schools: new semi-boarding facilities have been constructed, sanitation facilities have been improved, and school counseling rooms and health corners have started to be established and upgraded, seemingly small elements that directly affect students’ ability to attend school with peace of mind each day.
Speaking at the ceremony, Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Ito Naoki expressed his expectation that the results achieved in the first year would continue to be built upon in the second year, enabling the project’s activities to make more practical contributions to the socio-economic development of participating localities.
At the event, Le Quynh Lan, Country Director of Plan International Viet Nam, noted that even small changes in schools can make a significant difference for children in mountainous areas. “When children have a suitable learning environment and are listened to, they gain more confidence to continue their education and pursue their own paths,” she emphasized, adding that promoting gender equality must go hand in hand with improving education quality and strengthening community engagement.
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| Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Ito Naoki and representatives of Plan International Japan exchanged signed cooperation documents aimed at supporting the improvement of learning environments for ethnic minority children. |
The continuation of the project into its second year reflects the long-term commitment of the Government of Japan, alongside Plan International and its partners in Viet Nam, to helping narrow educational disparities between regions, particularly in mountainous, remote, and isolated areas where children, especially those from ethnic minority groups, continue to face significant barriers to accessing education.
| The project “Promoting Gender-Responsive Learning Environments and Schools for Ethnic Minority Children in Tuyen Quang and Lai Chau” is funded by the people of Japan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Plan International Japan. Over the three-year period (2025-2028), the project’s overall objective is to support ethnic minority students at primary and lower secondary schools in Lai Chau and Ha Giang to study in safe, equitable environments that ensure their sexual and reproductive health rights. Specifically: 1. Infrastructure at selected primary and lower secondary schools will be upgraded to ensure safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environments. 2. The quality of education, including Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), at primary and lower secondary schools will be improved. 3. Ethnic minority students will be empowered to enhance their independence and autonomy, enabling them to change harmful practices related to reproductive health, prevent gender-based violence, and combat child marriage. |
Source: Vietnamtimes
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