On September 28th 2020, within the framework of the Vietnam - Korea Mine Action Project (KVMAP), the Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Binh Dinh Department of Education and Training (DoET) held a preliminary workshop on integrating Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) in curriculum of primary and secondary schools. This is a project funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented in Quang Binh and Binh Dinh provinces.
Attending the workshop was Mr. Phan Thanh Liem, Deputy Director of Binh Dinh DoET, Mr. Giang Cong Bau, Deputy General Director of VNMAC, Representative of UNDP, about 60 delegates from Education and Training Departments at both district and provincial level of the two provinces, and key teachers of some primary and secondary schools in Binh Dinh.
 |
| Mr Giang Cong Bau, Deputy Director General of VNMAC at the workshop |
Integrating risk education into the primary and secondary school curriculum has been piloted in Binh Dinh for a year and obtained initial achievements. All teachers teaching civic education, social study and science subjects in primary and secondary schools have been trained in content and method to carry out the integration.
100% of primary and secondary schools have included EORE in appropriate subjects. According to the DoET, this integration was suitable and ensured the sustainability. At the workshop, Ms. Ho Thi Yen, Head of Primary and Preschool Education Department, Binh Dinh DoET, in her report to assess results after one year of implementation, said that thanks to the activity, awareness of pupils was improved, pupils and teachers also became communicators or bridges to communicate with and connect to the communities about risks and prevention to mine/ explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents. Through these activities, students showed their creative in carrying out propaganda activities.
The Principal of Cat Hanh 1 Primary School of Phu Cat district shared that pupils actively participated in risk education activities. They found pictures or images to hang on bulletin boards, collected stories about mine/ ERW survivors to share with their peers during extracurricular lessons, some of them even composed drama scrips to deliver mine/ERW accident prevention messages.
At the seminar, Mr. Tran Quoc Thang, Head of Primary School, Quang Binh DoET, who has been worked with Binh Dinh DoET to implement this integration program appreciated the results achieved in Binh Dinh. Mr. Thang shared implementation experience in Quang Binh and emphasized that the project was just a catalyst, and to maintain and promote education on mine accident prevention it would require the participation of leaders from relevant departments as well as the teachers’ dedication in creating and finding new content and methods in implementation.
At the workshop, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Van, Component Manager of KVMAP project also shared the component implementation plan in 2020 and Project’s directions for 2021 which showed the commitment in continuing to support the localities in activity implementation.
Representative from Binh Dinh province, Mr. Phan Thanh Liem also pledged that the EORE integration into the curriculum of primary and secondary schools will continue to be maintained in Binh Dinh, even after the Project’s completion.
 |
| Mr Phan Thanh Liem, Deputy Director of Binh Dinh DOET at the workshop |