Department of training and education

According to the comprehensive plan to develop the IT human resources, Vietnam needed 1 million workers in the IT field in 2020. Yet the reality shows that there are only 600,000 IT students being trained in 400 higher educational institutes and 8 key IT training centers nationwide.

Statistics from the Institute of Information Technology Strategy (under the Ministry of Information & Communications) show that 72 percent of IT students lack practical experience, while 42 percent are weak at team work. Only 15 percent of IT graduates satisfy the demands of employers.

Vietnam now has over 700 IT companies working in key fields of the IT industry, including 220 foreign ones. They mostly locate in major cities or software parks.

Notably, despite a high job potential, the AI field still attracts little attention from both learners and trainers. There is no formal university department or school to specifically provide tertiary education in this field. Most curriculum focus on software developing, which is a rather old trend of the previous decade. This calls for a serious curriculum redesign to answer the current needs of IT companies, both domestic and international.

There should be an establishment of AI departments in universities or the development of such majors as computer vision, natural language processing, Big Data, robotics. Tertiary educational institutes should cooperate with IT businesses for internship programs, career guiding fairs, academic challenges, and training equipment provision (like server clusters, computing clusters, GPU, robots, IoT devices).

Experts voiced that in order for HCMC to own sufficient core AI human resources, the municipal authorities must first identify the market needs and the ability to apply research result in reality. They then have to actively link the development of smart city, innovative urban areas with the growth of talented AI employees.

These actions will gradually form a complete AI ecosystem so that HCMC can transform into a database center of the whole Southeast Asian region in 2030, and of the world in the far future.

There must be clear short-term as well as long-term strategies to turn HCMC into a smart city, including the three key points of research and training, technology mastering, and innovation promotion.

Regarding the first key point, more investment should be pour into the AI field via supporting funds, collaboration with national and international partners to take advantage of all possible strengths.

A kind of ‘shared university’ for AI training could be formed, where educational facilities are located in one place, and the teaching staff or research teams come to perform their tasks. This model does need specific policies to regulate particular responsibilities and rights of each partner, as well as the role of the municipal authorities in the project.

Director of Vietnam National University – HCMC Vu Hai Quan stated that the potential of key AI research teams directly shape the training direction for new AI workers. They are the model for the young generations to look up to.

Therefore, the AI human resources training project should consist of financial aid for major AI research teams to expand their study in various fields, the construction of AI labs, the organization of academic contests about AI to tackle existing problems in the community.

These actions will no doubt increase the position of Vietnam in the global AI top list and the awareness of AI importance in the society.

By Thanh Hung – Translated by Thanh Tam

LÀO CAI — Lùng Thị Hoài, a Nùng ethnic minority student of Nàn Sán Secondary School, uses equipment to show off electric fireworks she and her peers made to celebrate the 2021 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) festival in Si Ma Cai District, the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai.

STEM is an approach to learning and development that integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Students are expected to develop their skills through STEM education including problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, decision making and acceptance of failure.

Hundreds of students in the district have benefited from STEM education.

This was the first year the STEM festival had been held in the district – one of the poorest districts of the country after the provincial Department of Education and Training Department issued a document to instruct the implementation of STEM education in secondary schools in September 2020.

Nguyễn Thị Kiều Oanh, head of the district’s Education and Training Office, said officials of the department had visited many localities to plan the festival.

The festival was not only a chance for the students to show off the electric firework device but also run toy cars on race tracks using kinetic energy, Khoa học và Phát Triển (Science and Development) online newspaper reported.

Also at the festival, the office invited two students in Lý Tự Trọng Secondary School in the province’s Lào Cai City to operate a robot, programmed by them, Oanh said.

The two students won the first prize in the robotics competition in the north, held by the Central Youth Union in November 2020, she added.

Oanh said the office wanted students in Nàn Sán Secondary School to do more in the next festivals, such as programming robots like the students in Lý Tự Trọng Secondary School in Lào Cai City did.

To do that, the office plans to hold a training course for programming robots for both teachers and students in a total of eight schools in the district this month, she said.

The training course will be organised with the support of teachers in Lào Cai City and the STEM Alliance, she said.

Established in 2015, the STEM Alliance – an organisation dedicated to connecting volunteers participating in STEM promotion activities – has trained some 10,000 general teachers about STEM education and helped establish more than 500 STEM clubs across the country, especially in rural areas.

The alliance also plays an important role in organising six National STEM Festivals and five Open Math Festivals.

STEM universal education

The district administration issued Project No 04- DA/HU on July 31, 2020, on improving the quality of education and training for 2020-25. The project aims to promote STEM education at all schools in the district.

The move came under the goal of STEM universal education of the provincial education sector.

Over the past five years, the provincial education sector has conducted many STEM education training programmes for thousands of teachers.

The education sector has also set up STEM advisory groups for all levels of the education sector to build a formal system of STEM education.

To do that, the provincial education sector has received support from experienced STEM educators such as Đặng Văn Sơn of Hà Nội National University, Hoàng Vân Đông of Electricity University, Dương Tuấn Hưng of Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology, Lê Chí Ngọc and Hàn Huy Dũng of Hà Nội University of Technology. — VNS

A video clip comprising a series of paintings by children on doctors, who are called intimately as white blouse warriors during the COVID-19 fight, has been published recently by the Ministry of Health.

The paintings by child artists are part of a campaign initiated by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

They depict doctors as white-blouse soldiers who have relentlessly fought against the pandemic, through which children’s gratitude toward health workers is expressed.

The video also conveys a message of solidarity in the fight against COVID-19./.

110 foreign experts to be isolated for COVID-19 combat

The administration of Quang Ngai province, central Vietnam, has outlined plans to put a total of 110 foreign experts into isolation in concentrated places in an effort to prevent the potential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The foreign experts are scheduled to pass though Huu Nghi international border gate in the northern province of Lang Son and then travel to Quang Ngai to work for Hoa Phat Dung Quat Iron and Steel Integrated Complex.

The provincial administration requested relevant agencies to create favourable condition for the experts during their travel and quarantine back in Quang Ngai.

At present, Quang Ngai is yet to record any positive COVID-19 cases this year, although local authorities have advised relevant agencies to closely control people entering from COVID-19 hotspots in the fight against the virus.

Cases that violate the Health Ministry’s COVID-19 prevention and control measures will be punished, whilst local medical workers will take samples for testing of relevant cases, especially foreigners currently working in Quang Ngai.

Daily Mail hails Vietnamese driver as hero after saving life of local girl

The Daily Mail newspaper of the UK has posted an article hailing the bravery of a local delivery driver who saved the life of a little girl falling from the balcony of an apartment complex in Hanoi.

According to the Daily Mail, Nguyen Ngoc Manh, 31, was sitting in his truck waiting to deliver a package in Hanoi on February 28 when he saw the toddler hanging from the balcony of a high-rise building and clinging to the edge with just one hand.

“The father-of one reacted instinctively and raced out of his car and climbed onto a tile roof at the bottom level of the building to get into a better position to be able to catch the girl”, the news outlines states.

“In a heart-stopping moment, video footage shows the two-year-old lose her grip before plunging to the ground from 164 feet – but somehow Manh was able to reach for the girl, who fell onto his lap”.

The Daily Mail added that Manh’s life has since been “turned upside down” after saving the toddler and he has received thousands of positive messages on various social media platforms.

Manh’s inspirational story has greatly impressed readers who offer their compliments and describe him as a “wonderful man”, a “real hero”, and a “great man”.

Quang Ninh opens local tourism

With the new wave of COVID-19 outbreak contained, the northern province of Quang Ninh officially reopened its tourism activities from 0:00 on March 2, starting with local tourists.

Travel firms and tourist sites are asked to ensure safety for visitors, and strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message of khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering) and khai bao y te (health declaration).

Quang Ninh has put in place suitable measures to control those who come from pandemic-hit areas. It encourages all people coming to the locality to fill in health declarations.

The province creates favourable conditions for migrant workers to return the locality to work in the tourism and service sectors; however, they must follow the provincial Party Committee’s regulations on health declaration, quarantine, and testing, among others.

Ha Long, Uong Bi, Dong Trieu, Cam Pha and Quang Yen should apply necessary measures to ensure efficiency in COVID-19 prevention in the “new situation”.

As Van Don International Airport will resume operation on March 3, Quang Ninh province is outlining its new COVID-19 prevention process to ensure safety for the airport, its staff and the community.

About the reopening of bars and karaoke parlours, the local police are assigned to study and recommend the local People’s Committee on the time for the service resumption./.

VFF leaders nominated as candidates for NA election

The Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee has agreed to nominate Politburo member and President of the VFF Central Committee Tran Thanh Man and member of the Party Central Committee and Vice President cum Secretary General of the VFF Central Committee Hau A Lenh as candidates for the upcoming election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly.

During a conference held in Hanoi on March 2, voters of the VFF Central Committee agreed that the two officials are qualified and meet the requirements of the Party’s regulations and the State’s law.

Earlier, on February 25, the VFF’s Party Delegation convened a meeting where participants also consented to the nominations.

Lenh pledged to, if elected, fulfill assigned tasks in line with Party and State’s regulations and uphold a sense of responsibility in building laws and policies, contributing to national development in line with the resolution adopted by the 13th National Party Congress.

He hoped to continue receiving support from voters to accomplish tasks in his capacity as a Party official./.

Another recovered COVID-19 patient in Hanoi test positive again

A COVID-19 patient in Hanoi has tested positive for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 again after being given the all-clear, it was reported on March 2.

Patient 1,958 was discharged from hospital on February 27 but after two days of home quarantine she tested positive for the virus on March 1.

This is the second such case in Hanoi, with the first being reported on February 25.

According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Health Hoang Duc Hanh, Hanoi recorded no new local transmissions from February 16 to March 2.

The city’s authorities continue to collect samples from people arriving in the capital and those returning from pandemic-hit areas./.

HCM City’s police request prosecution of flight attendant for spreading COVID-19

The People’s Procuracy of Ho Chi Minh City on March 2 said it has received an investigation conclusion and other documents linked to a case of “spreading contagious disease to others” involving a 29-year-old flight attendant, who is Patient 1,342.

The Investigation Security Agency under the municipal Department of Public Security has requested the prosecution of Duong Tan Hau for spreading a dangerous contagious disease to others, under Article 240 of the 2015 Criminal Code.

Per the conclusion, on November 14, 2020, Hau and a Vietnam Airlines flight crew were tested for COVID-19 upon arrival in Vietnam from Japan and put under quarantine. With two negative test results, he was placed under quarantine at a rented apartment in HCM City’s Tan Binh district until November 28, 2020.

However, during this time, Hau left the apartment to meet two other flight attendants, who later tested positive for the virus.

Hau also left to meet a friend and take an English test at Hutech University. He tested positive on November 28, while his friend tested positive two days later.

The Investigation Security Agency said Hau’s activities caused both material and non-material damage. The material losses have been estimated to exceed 4.47 billion VND (193,800 USD), with the related quarantine affecting the lives of over 2,000 people in the city.

The agency has also sent a dispatch to competent agencies requesting the handling of Vietnam Airlines’ violations in quarantine organisation./.

Factories in Hải Dương Province to conduct routine COVID-19 testing for employees and managers

The Hải Dương Province management board of industrial zones (IZs) has asked enterprises in the locality to routinely test their employees and managers for COVID-19.

This is one of the requests set for the enterprises regarding production plans when the COVID-19 pandemic is brought under control.

According to the management board, factories at IZs in Kim Thành District can resume work but they must follow the Ministry of Health’s regulations on COVID-19 prevention.

Specifically, test results for all employees at the enterprises must show that they are negative. Enterprises must also regularly clean the environment, disinfect the workplace and dormitories (if any).

All staff must follow the Health Ministry’s 5K message: Khẩu trang (face mask) – Khử khuẩn (disinfection) – Khoảng cách (distance) – Không tụ tập (no gathering) – Khai báo y tế (health declaration).

It is necessary for enterprises to organise the supervision of compliance with pandemic prevention rules.

The enterprises are urged to set up a focus point to contact the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of Kim Thành District when epidemiological factors emerge to coordinate, even when in doubt.

Owners of factories are responsible for COVID-19 prevention and control work at their establishments and take responsibility before the law for the emergence of the pandemic due to subjective factors.

For enterprises with employees who test positive for COVID-19, they are requested to urgently take samples from those who haven’t been tested.

It’s a must for enterprises to make a business plan associated with the prevention and control of the pandemic. Coordination with local authorities to review and thoroughly handle the disease risk factors in businesses or from employees is also included in the plan. They should submit a report to the provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control for approval before resuming operation.

Employees are ordered to sign documents with the local authorities affirming their commitment to COVID-19 safety.

Businesses involved in the trading of infrastructure at industrial zones are responsible for coordinating with relevant agencies to monitor enterprises in IZs to comply with the regulations on pandemic prevention and control.

After 15 days of stringent province-wide lockdown measures, the northern province of Hải Dương will lift some restrictions in certain areas on Wednesday (March 3) as the COVID-19 outbreaks are gradually being brought under control.

It will shift to a new status, both drastically fighting the coronavirus and taking action to carry out socio-economic development tasks, according to a decision made by the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee at a meeting on Monday.

Sine the coronavirus broke out in Hải Dương province on January 27, the province has recorded 684 COVID-19 local infections, becoming the largest outbreak in the country.

Hải Dương authorities agreed to divide the localities in the province into two groups under different restrictions depending on the COVID-19 risks.

Four high-risk localities, including Hải Dương City, Kinh Môn township, Cẩm Giàng District and Kim Thành, will be placed under the Government’s Directive 15, the highest level of social distancing first introduced in March last year when the country entered nationwide lockdown. The remaining eight localities in the province will follow the less restrictive Government’s Directive 19 on social distancing norms.

Hải Dương will continue to halt festivals, religious rituals, sporting events and other unimportant events that require large gatherings in public.

Service venues – retail/wholesale trading shops, shopping malls, markets, supermarkets, hotels, accommodation facilities, etc. – can resume operations, but must observe COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Phạm Xuân Thăng said that, from March 3, Hải Dương would carry out 10 groups of anti-COVID-19 solutions and five groups of socio-economic development solutions.

As the outbreak may return, the entire local political system would not lower its guard and will remain on alert and be stringent in the fight, he stated.

Youth committee urges integration of youth affairs into policy making

Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Youth of Vietnam (NCYV), Nguyen Anh Tuan, urged ministries and governmental agencies to integrate youth affairs into policy making during the committee’s 32nd meeting in Hanoi on March 2.

The NCYV closely coordinated in the drafting of the revised Youth Law, which received approval from the National Assembly last year. It also completed the implementation of the 2011-2020 strategy for Vietnamese youth development and has developed a strategy for the next 10 years.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu said youth affairs have played an important part in the activities of governmental organisations. Most ministries and governmental agencies have launched programmes for youth, including a cultural ambassador programme as well as conferences and seminars on startups and innovation.

As Chair of ASEAN 2020, Vietnam advocated the inclusion of youth-related content in the Chairman’s Statement of the 37th ASEAN Summit, he said.

Tuan said the committee will continue coordinating with relevant bodies to develop and propose youth-related policies, and will supervise the enforcement of the revised Youth Law and the 2020-2030 strategy for youth development.

He also called for an increase in information exchange between the committee and other organisations regarding youth affairs./.

Task of designing science-technology organisation network planning approved

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has signed a decision approving the task of making planning for the science-technology organisation network in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2050.

The major objectives of the planning include concretising the Party and State’s policies and laws on science and technology development and innovation, and connecting relevant sectors and regions in line with the national master planning.

A network of science and technology organisations will be formed in an open and flexible manner with suitable scale and structure to meet the goal of comprehensively and synchronously promoting the cause of national reform, industrialisation and modernisation.

Meanwhile, the planning will serve as a foundation for the building of a middle-term public investment plan across the nation in the field of science and technology as well as the mobilisation of resources from the community in developing the network, towards the complete autonomy of State-owned science and technology organisations.

Under the decision, the natural conditions, resources and situation of the science and technology organisation network nationwide will be analysed and evaluated, along with connectivity of sectors and regions in the development of the network.

At the same time, opportunities and challenges in building the planning will be defined, together with the list of important projects for investment priority./.

Photos call on ethnic minority people to take action against COVID-19

The Ministry of Health and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have called on people to take action to prevent COVID-19 pandemic for sustainable economic development through a photo series about the lives of ethnic minority traders in the northern mountain province of Ha Giang.

The photo series is part of a project on strengthening communication about COVID-19 prevention in the new normal for small businesses run by ethnic minorities in the province.

The project is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, UNDP in Vietnam and the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam with an aim of implementing sustainable development goals towards fairness and equality in healthcare among ethnic groups in the country. It includes a series of communication activities that aim to enhance knowledge, understanding and changes in action and habits of people to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among ethnic minorities.

The project’s activities have approached a large number of local officials, health workers, trade unions and small traders in four districts of Meo Vac, Dong Van, Quan Ba and Yen Minh, and Ha Giang city.

The project helped local authorities have more essential resources to conduct disease prevention and control and provide local people, especially ethnic traders, with access to healthcare services and knowledge about disease prevention methods.

This will help to reduce the negative effects of COVID-19, so that people can continue to develop economically and sustainably, stabilise their lives and overcome difficulties such as farmland shortages, lack of domestic water and harsh natural conditions.

The series of photos was taken in late 2020 and early 2021 in four highlands districts: Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh and Quang Ba, which are the poorest localities and the most inhabited by Mong ethnic people. The series displays the daily work of traders, especially when they have taken preventive measures for protecting the health and safety of each individual and the community.

As part of the project, ethnic minorities of Dong Van district were given knowledge and provided with practical guidance on pandemic prevention and control.

With the support of local health workers, people have started disease prevention activities, such as wearing masks, washing hands with antiseptic, sanitising their homes and ensuring personal hygiene in work and daily life.

The photo series also showed local people in tourism development associated with preserving and promoting national cultural values./.

Kien Giang hoping to soon put Cai Lon – Cai Be irrigation system into operation

Extra efforts are being made to quickly complete the first phase of the Cai Lon – Cai Be irrigation system in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang to better serve local life and production.

Connecting the Cai Lon River to the Cai Be River, the project is expected to improve agriculture and aquaculture production, control salinity, fight the effects of climate change, and provide freshwater for An Minh and An Bien districts during periods of low rainfall.

Construction of the first phase of the project, scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, is taking place in Chau Thanh district on 54.5 ha, with funding of 3.3 trillion VND (143.3 million USD).

According to deputy head of the Irrigation Work Investment and Construction Management Board No 10, Ha Duc Hanh, the Cai Be sewer was put into operation on February 5, several months ahead of schedule, thus helping control saltwater intrusion on over 20,000 ha of agricultural land.

The sewer helps the province save on the cost of building over 150 temporary dams and contributes to reducing environmental pollution caused by the building of such dams.

Ninety-five percent of work is completed, with the remainder to be done by June.

Meanwhile, 75 percent of work on Cai Lon sewer and 40 percent of work on Xeo Ro sewer are completed. Construction is to fully finish in September and October, respectively./.

Population database: Turning point in building e-gov’t

The national population database launched recently is the most important of six national databases helping to form an e-government, a digital society, and a digital economy. The introduction of the database reflects the Government’s determination to shift from paper-based to electronic document management.

After a year of implementation, the national database on population now integrates national citizen IDs, birth registrations, death confirmations, and household registration book systems, removing unnecessary administrative procedures.

The Ministry of Public Security has basically completed the collection of national population information and moving data from the old system to the new system. All information gathered serves the production, issuance, and management of citizen’s ID cards.

The Ministry of Public Security aims at completing the national database on population and ID card issuance and management by July 1./.

Vietnamese audiences get chance to view seven French movies

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has granted permission for the screening of French movies throughout the country.

The films will be screened in 10 cities and provinces nationwide, including Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Lao Cai, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, and Can Tho.

The Ministry also noted that screenings will only take place once the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has fully been brought under control in localities. In addition, relevant preventive measures must also be observed.

Activities held nationwide for Youth Month 2021

A wide variety of practical activities have been held across the country in response to Youth Month 2021 and in celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (March 26).

The Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union launched a volunteer programme in order to ensure safety and hygiene in the context of the situation of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the Central Agencies Bloc in coordination with the Thai Nguyen Provincial Youth Union launched a tree planting festival in Dai Tu District, Thai Nguyen Province, on February 28.

On the occasion, the two units also presented gifts worth a total of over VND200 million to policy beneficiary families and disadvantaged students in the district.

A volunteer programme has been launched by the municipal Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union to educate young people about the revolutionary tradition.

The Hanoi Municipal Youth Union launched a tree planting festival in Soc Son District, Hanoi.

At the festival, the organising board donated 6,000 green trees worth nearly VND300 million, along with a social house worth VND50 million to a policy beneficiary family in the district.

The Bac Giang Provincial Youth Union began the construction of Ben Mong Bridge in Luc Nam District. The bridge has a total cost of about VND2 billion. Once completed, the bridge is expected to help local people travel quickly and safely.

A number of similar meaning events were also held byyouth unions in the central city of Da Nang, the northernmountainous province of Lai Chau and the southern province of Dong Nai, as part of the activities to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

Localities host assorted cultural activities throughout March

A wide range of cultural activities are being held through March in localities across the country, in accordance with regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control.

From March 1-3, the Vietnam Women’s Union Central Committee is hosting an Ao Dai Week, encouraging the union’s members, particularly those who are officials, civil servants and businesswomen, to wear the traditional long dress at workplaces or while attending events.

* A programme entitled ‘A Little Spring’ is taking place at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in the Dong Mo tourism area of Son Tay town, Hanoi from March 1 to 31, featuring the participation of nearly 100 people from 14 ethnic groups in 12 cities and provinces nationwide.

The programme features art performances, cuisine events, a singing contest, exhibitions and the screening of documentaries on the country’s seas and islands.

The scale of the activities is dependent on the COVID-19 pandemic situation. If the pandemic breaks out in the locality during March or in Hanoi, activities will be restricted such as limiting the concentration of people, ensuring safety and taking other measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Under the second plan, if the pandemic is completely under control in March, the programme will be fully implemented and all activities will go ahead as scheduled in order to attract tourists to the village.

* The History Museum in Ho Chi Minh City has decided to introduce to the public its collections of valuable objects through an online exhibition on the museum’s official website at www.baotanglichsutphcm.com.vn.

By clicking the link, viewers can access images of antiques with detailed information on each.

* The Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies in coordination with the British Council recently announced a series of 12 art and cultural events taking place from March 5 to 21 in many locations across Vietnam.

The events include a visual art exhibition in Da Nang city, a multisensory puppet show in Ninh Binh province, a series of workshops on art for children in Dak Lak province and Ho Chi Minh City, film screenings and arts projects in Hanoi, and a week of culture and creativity in Hai Phong city.

Tourism campaign clip hits a million views

A fortnight after being posted on YouTube on February 11, a tourism promotion clip entitled “Vietnam – Destination of culture and cuisine” (Vietnam – Điểm đến Văn hóa và Ẩm thực”) has received more than a million views. The campaign was launched by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in partnership with Google and VinPearl.

It also brings a warm and touching atmosphere of reunion during the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, featuring traditional cultural activities such as calligraphy, flower orchards in full bloom, and bustling markets.

The growing interest shows the appeal of YouTube in promoting the beauty of Vietnam.

It is also consistent with the tourism sector’s orientation towards increasing the promotion of Vietnamese tourism on digital platforms, thereby inspiring tourists in the context of tourism activities being seriously hit by COVID-19./.

Yen Bai has first model new-style rural commune

Tuy Loc commune in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai is now a recognised model new-style rural area, making it the first commune in the northern province to obtain the accreditation.

After meeting the new style rural standard in 2014, Tuy Loc had worked on getting the advanced title. To date, it has effectively implemented 48 economic development projects, with its per capita income reaching 56 million VND in 2020, 1.5 times higher than that set by the new-style rural standard for the year. Currently, there is no poor household in the commune.

Chairman of the Tuy Loc People’s Committee Nguyen Minh Tuan said key tasks for the time to come include restructuring agriculture in association with building new-style rural building, as well as promoting technological application and green technologies.

After a ceremony to announce the recognition on March 1, work began on the construction of a road connecting Tuy Loc’s dyke to its centre. The project costs 14.5 billion VND and is scheduled to be fully operational in October.

The national target programme on building new-styled rural areas was initiated by the Government in 2010 with the aim of developing rural regions. The list of criteria includes the development of infrastructure, the improvement of production capacity, environmental protection, and the promotion of cultural values./.

V.League 1 set to restart on March 13

The 2021 V.League 1 season is scheduled to see the return of matches on March 13, providing that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic stays under control nationwide.

According to the updated fixture list, the remaining five matches from the third round of games will be held on March 13 and March 14, as set out by the Vietnam Professional Football JSC (VPF).

The season will see all teams play at least 10 games before April 18. They will then take a temporary break to allow time for the Vietnamese national football team to meet ahead of Asian qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Elsewhere, the V.League 2 season will begin on March 19, with the first match set to be between hosts Can Tho FC and the People’s Public Security FC.

The 13 rounds of the opening half of the V.League 2 season are scheduled to last until July 24.

The “connection” between traditional and modern music

In recent years, Vietnamese music lovers have witnessed the birth of many works combining traditional and modern music.

The video “Xam Hanoi”, which shows young singer Nguyen Thi Ngoc Ha (Ha Myo)’s love for the capital city through Xam (ballads sung by wandering blind musicians), was one outstanding example. This is the first time the traditional Xam art of song was perfectly combined with rap and electronic music and modern choreography, creating a new music product bearing the charm and beauty of folk culture while featuring the freshness of the modern arts. The video “Xam Hanoi” has rapidly received a warm response from a large number of young music listeners after arrived in the digital environment. This is on example highlighting the “connection” between modern and traditional music.

Young artist Ngo Hong Quang is also a remarkable face possessesing many works that exploit the rich traditions of music from around the country. He has finished an album entitled “Tinh dan” featuring many indigenous music styles of Vietnam. Earlier, singers such as Hoang Thuy Linh and Bich Phuong also made their marks with pop songs imbued with folk music or inspired by traditional culture. It can be seen that this feature of traditional music in composition has become a trend for many young artists over recent years, contributing to a new wind affecting contemporary musical life. This composition trend is considered a rope connecting modern music lovers with traditional music. It has not only brought about a new style but also highlighted Vietnamese identities in contemporary music.

On the contrary, many traditional art works now feature modern musical elements to conquer young audiences. One highlight is the Cai Luong (reformed opera) and circus play entitled “Cay gay than” (Magic stick) by the Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre and Vietnam Circus Federation. The play was an audacious experience as the familiar Cai Luong ancient songs were added to a background of jazz music and featured the appearance of rap music in some scenes. All have created an interesting “opening” for Cai Luong that is not only admired young people but has also surprised veteran artists.

The newly released play “Son Hau – Beyond The Mountain” by young directors Nguyen Quoc Hoang Anh and Ha Nguyen Long has also rejuvenated the ancient art of Tuong (classical drama) through attractive performances of hip hop dance on a background of electronic sounds. This exploitation of modern music is a way to bring traditional arts and music closer to young audiences as well as preserving and promoting traditional music values that are at risk of degradation over times.

Obviously, the reciprocal combination of modern and traditional elements in music has not only made both art forms newer and more impressive but also opened potential trends for the future, towards a new world of contemporary arts imbued with national identities. This is also a way for Vietnamese music to define itself among international friends. This mission belongs to both traditional and modern artists. However, it is not an easy “path” for artists who have a great passion for the arts and who also dare to deviate. Because, in fact, not any old combination creates the right “fit”. An inappropriate mix of modern and traditional elements can make art works rude and objectionable. The unreasonable exploitation of ancient materials can also easily cause distortions of tradition. Creators must thus have a deep understanding of each art form so that they will not blur one another. The successes of various art works using this combination in recent years was in part due to the participation of experts having strengths in each form. With an in-depth understanding of each field, they support and adjust together, helping the works avoid crossing the delicate line between creativity and objection. Thereby, they will enhance the value of the country’s music in particular and the arts in general.

Binh Duong deports 11 Chinese nationals for illegal entry

The law enforcement agencies of Binh Duong Province today, March 1, extradited 11 Chinese nationals who had entered Vietnam illegally to the northern province of Lang Son to deport them in line with prevailing regulations.

The 11 Chinese nationals were quarantined for 14 days and have tested negative for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to the provincial law enforcement agencies.

On February 8, the police of Di An City in Binh Duong Province discovered 13 Chinese nationals disembarking from a passenger coach in Binh Thang Ward, Thanh Nien Online reported.

The 13 people were identified as entering the country illegally as they failed to show their entry papers. They were sent to the general clinic in An Binh Ward for quarantine.

During their quarantine period, two of the 13 Chinese nationals escaped from the clinic.

HCMC allocates over US$1 million preferential loans for social house buyers

Ho Chi Minh City authorities decided to allocate VND25 billion (US$1,086,220) preferential loans for buyers of social houses.

Deputy Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan has just signed a decision to allocate money for the preferential loan program for buying and renting social houses of this year.

The program is also for those who ask for loans for repairing their own houses according to the government’s decree 100/2015.

Directors of branches of Vietnam Bank for Social Policies in districts and Thu Duc City submitted their credit plan as per the decision for further implementation.

Additionally, Directors of Vietnam Bank for Social Policies branches will be responsible for allocation and supervision of implementation procedure to ensure the money is used effectively.

New schedule unveiled for domestic leagues and National Cup

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Vietnam Professional Football JSC (VPF) have agreed to resume the V.League 1 season in March and April, whilst both the V.League 2 and National Cup will also start after being delayed for the COVID-19 fight.

The V.League 1 season will return on either March 13 or March 19 before concluding on September 19.

Furthermore, the V.League 2 will kick off on March 20 and finish on September 18. At the end of the season, a play-off match will be held between the second-place team of the V.League 2 and the bottom team in the V.League 1, with the loser playing in the V.League 2 in the 2022 season.

The National Cup will also launch its qualifying round on April 23. With the tournament scheduled to end on September 30, this will allow the national U22 team plenty of time to prepare for qualifiers for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship and the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. In addition, the senior team will be preparing for qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in the Asian region and the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup.

The national team will therefore participate in a one-week training camp from May 22 to May 29 before going on to compete in the remaining qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup.

It is also possible that the Vietnamese team will hold an additional training camp between April 21 and May 7 due to a break in the V.League 1 season to allow Viettel FC to compete in the group stages of the AFC Champions League.

At present, Vietnam are currently leading Group G with 11 points, followed by Malaysia with nine points, Thailand with eight points, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with six points, and Indonesia who are bottom with zero points.

The national team are scheduled to compete in three matches as part of the current qualifying process, with ties against Indonesia on June 7, Malaysia on June 11, and the UAE on June 15.

Students in Dong Thap Province’s border districts continue taking a week off

In the midst of the current complicated Covid-19 pandemic situation in the border area of Dong Thap Province, the People’s Committee of Dong Thap Province this morning decided to allow students of kindergartens, high schools and vocational training schools in the border districts of Hong Ngu, Tan Hong and Hong Ngu City to stay at home one more week from March 1 to March 6.

Currently, all suspected cases are strictly conducting quarantine requirements in Dong Thap Province and Can Tho City.

Dong Thap province authorities have been urgently searching for two remaining F1 cases related to patient No.2424; and tracing F2 cases being isolated at home according to regulations.

Previously, a 24-year-old woman from Can Tho City working in a casino in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh and another woman illegally immigrated to Vietnam through the border gate in Tan Hong District of Dong Thap Province on February 23. They were seen at a hostel at Sa Rai Town, Tan Hong District and were promptly sent to a quarantine ward for SARS-CoV-2 testing on the same day.

Two days later, the former woman became the patient No. 2424 with SARS-CoV-2 positive result from HCMC-based Pasteur Institute and the rest one was negative for SARS-CoV-2.

VIWASE proposes one more water plant for Hanoi’s water supply

It is necessary to soon approve the adjustment for water supply planning in Hanoi, which will contribute to completing the target that all people in the city’s rural areas will be able to use clean water by 2025.

The Vietnam Water, Sanitation and Environment Joint Stock Company (VIWASE) has proposed to build Xuan Mai water plant in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

The project, expected to be listed in the city’s water supply planning, will supply water for Hoa Binh and Hanoi’s southern districts.

According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Construction Hoang Cao Thang, the project is one of the VIWASE’s proposals sent to his department to adjust water supply planning in order to improve water access to people in Hanoi.

It is necessary to soon approve the adjustment for water supply planning in Hanoi, which will contribute to completing the target that all people in the city’s rural areas will be able to use clean water by 2025, said an expert in water supply.

Le Van Du, deputy head of Technical Infrastructure under the Hanoi Department of Construction, said that currently the total capacity of safe water sources in the city is 1,520,000 cubic meters per day, which is still short of 210,000m3 per day in accordance with the city’s water supply planning to 2030, with a vision to 2050.

The total capacity of clean water sources is only enough to serve people in Hanoi’s downtown and surrounding areas. Only about 10-35% of people in rural areas have access to tap water which is mainly supplied by rural concentrated clean water purifiers.

Hanoi strives to supply clean water for 100% of population living downtown, in satellite urban areas and rural districts by 2030.

Besides, Hanoi will ensure safe and sustainable water supply to adapt to climate change, so that water supplied to urban and rural areas meets the Ministry of Health’s standards on drinkable water.

Promote tourism through the book “Explore Vietnam”

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has recently introduced a travel guide book entitled “Kham pha Vietnam” (Explore Vietnam).

The “Kham pha Vietnam” book is copyrighted by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and printed by Thanh Nien (Youth) Publishing House.

This 165-page book is divided into 12 main content sections, introducing famous tourist destinations and renown sightseeing within Vietnam, including: the Hanoi capital, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue city (Thua Thien – Hue province),. Sa Pa Town (Lao Cai province), the Dong Van rock plateau (Ha Giang province), Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh province), Ninh Binh city (Ninh Binh province), Hoi An ancient town (Quang Nam province), Da Lat city (Lam Dong province), coastal city of Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa province), Vung Tau city (Ba Ria – Vung Tau province), Phu Quoc island (Kien Giang province) and the beauty landscapes surrounding these destinations.

Each part of the book not only introduces readers the beautiful natural landscape, unique culture and rich cuisine, but also depicts the friendly and peaceful lifestyle of local residents.

In addition to useful information, the book also attracts readers with vividly beautiful images that are captured by professional photographers.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism expects this useful and well-prepared publication will help travelers to map out their itineraries when visiting Vietnam.

March will be eventful month with loads of cultural activities

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day on March 8 and International Day of Happiness on March 20, Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism will run a series of activities themed “Little Spring” for the whole month.

The cultural activities will draw the participation of nearly 100 non-professional artists and people from 14 ethnic groups in 12 provinces and cities throughout the nation such as Thai Nguyen, Hanoi, Ha Giang, Son La, Hoa Binh, Nghe An, Thua Thien – Hue, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Ninh Thuan, Dak Lak and Soc Trang.

The event themed “the Spring in the Muong Village” features an artistic show of Muong ethnic dances and songs; an ethnic gastronomic demonstration with dishes prepared from Ban Flower (Bauhinia) and a photo exhibition of beautiful girls from Thai ethnic group with Ban flowers.

At the exhibition “Our homeland’s islands”, visitors will watch photos, documentary films and artifacts related to the sea and islands of Vietnam, especially the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracel & Spratly) islands while at the music show titled  “Love Songs from the Sea”, they will be told about the lives of the marines, their bravery and willing to sacrifice for Vietnam’s territorial water protection.

On weekends, there will be a cultural event called “The Central Highlands in March – I’m the P’lang flower”, including songs and dances on the spring, which praise the beauty of nature, culture and people of the Central Highlands.

In addition, spring festivals,  homestay travel programs, culinary experiences, and folk games will also be held on weekdays and weekends to introduce the culture and customs of the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam.

These cultural activities are aimed at promoting cultural exchange among ethnic groups in Vietnam as well as attracting more tourists to the National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism.

Hanoi urges to accelerate zoning plan for Red river

Developments along the Red river will play an important role in driving Hanoi’s future.

Hanoi needs to remove obstacles to accelerate the zoning plan of the riparian areas on both sides of the Red river that runs through the city, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue said at a meeting last week.

Hue said that Hanoi needs to complete the zoning plans, including the plan on both sides of the Red river and making full use of the land resources in the riparian areas along the river banks.

As the zoning plan has not been devised, land resources in Hanoi have not been made full use of. No one wants to make long-term investments in the riparian areas as winning bidders are only entitled to the land usufruct for five years.

Hue emphasized that planning the Red river will make resources in terms of land, landscape and environment to become fulcrum for the capital city’s development.

“The riparian areas in Dan Phuong and Hoai Duc districts are immense but left fallow. There is a large riparian area in Hoan Kiem district which has been left unused because of the lack of a zoning plan,” Hue said.

Under the futuristic zoning plan, the riparian areas will become ecological urban areas. About 900,000 local residents along both sides of the river will be able to make a living when the plan is carried out.

In order to remove obstacles for the zoning plan, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue had a working session with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on July, 2020.

Currently, the city is actively working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to map out the anti-flood plan and submit it to the National Assembly and the prime minister.

In recent years, Hanoi has prepared infrastructure for the eventual urban development in the riparian areas by building bridges crossing the Red river.

Most recently, the Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture has made public the architecture plan of Tu Lien bridge, connecting Dong Anh district and Tay Ho district.

The municipal government is also considering two options of either to build Tran Hung Dao bridge or a tunnel crossing the Red river to link Hoan Kiem and Long Bien districts.

According to Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan, the Red River planning project is built based the study of the section of about 40 kilometers along the river, from Hong Ha bridge to Me So bridge. The plan will cover an area of about 11,000 hectares in 13 districts.

Tuan stressed that the completion of the 1:2000 scale zoning plan of the riparian areas on both sides of the Red river the section running through the city is a great progress after a long time of suspension pending.

Reading Culture Ambassador Contest 2021 launched

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issues a guidance for the organization of the 2021 Reading Culture Ambassador Contest.

Focusing on pupils and students, the contest aimed to inspire the passion for reading among youth, thereby, help fostering the reading culture within the community.

The contest is conducted with two rounds, in which the preliminary round is launched in provinces and cities, higher educational institutions and the Vietnam Education Publishing House from February 2021 to July 31, 2021.

For the final round, entries will be submitted to the Organizing Board before August 5, 2021. The awarding ceremony to honor the Ambassador of Reading Culture will be held by the end of October 2021.

The Vietnam Blind Association is in charge of organizing the preliminary round among the visually impaired people.

In recent years, under the government’s project of “Fostering a reading culture within community, with an orientation to 2030” a wide range of activities for spreading and developing the reading culture have been held in nationwide.

The Reading Culture Ambassador Contest has become an annual cultural activity, attracting wide appreciation and interest from the community and gaining positive outcomes.

It not only honors the reading culture, contributes to the creation of a ‘learning society’, but also serves as an opportunity for people to improve their understanding of the rich national culture.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes

By Thai An

Hanoi (VNA) – As of February 11, of the 15 cases tested positive for coronavirus ( nCoV ) in Vietnam, five were workers of a Vinh Phuc-based company who returned home after their training in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, and five were their relatives.

VietnamPlus had an interview with Nguyen Anh Tho, deputy head of the Department of Work Safety under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs ( MoLISA ), on work safety and disease prevention and control in enterprises, particularly those hiring thousands of labourers, including Chinese nationals.

Question: What impact is the disease having on firms’ production and business?

Nguyen Anh Tho: Under the Government’s direction as well as enterprises’ active compliance to disease prevention regulations, domestic production and business remain stable. Currently, only the education system is temporary shutdown, affecting workers’ care for their children.

Question: At industrial parks, there are hundreds, even thousands, of workers, so it is hard to follow the recommendation on public gathering restriction. What are preventive measures enterprises should follow to ensure both workers’ health and production?

Nguyen Anh Tho: Many agencies and enterprises are preventing the disease using heat sensor devices, hand wash bottles, and face masks. Workers themselves are well aware of preventative measures to perform at home, during their traffic, and at work.

Apart from following regulations on labour safety and hygiene outside working hours, firms should instruct their workers not to gather in groups and avoid unnecessary conversations to limit contacts.

We have to pay attention to cases with symptoms of the disease, particularly via increasing the spirit of self-declaration.

Question: In businesses hiring Chinese nationals with higher risk of infection, what preventative measures should be carried out to keep workers’ anxiety at bay?

Nguyen Anh Tho: The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs has established regulations on monitoring people returning from disease-hit areas, particularly Chinese managers coming back to Vietnam.

The Government’s instruction on nCOV prevention and control clearly identifies people whose entries to Vietnam will not be allowed and those to be quarantined upon arrival. Those completely following regulations and tested negative for the virus can join the workforce as normal.

I think workers should be updated on the situation to work at ease of mind and cooperate with one another more effectively.

Question: According to the Law on Labour, in what cases will employees have the right to take leave or work from home for disease prevention? Will they be paid as normal during their absence in such cases?

Nguyen Anh Tho: In fact, under the current regulations of the Government and the Law on Labour, workers are working as normal.

In case transmission sources or outbreaks are found, in line with the regulations, chairmen of centrally-run municipal and provincial People’s Committees will decide the operation of which enterprises and organisations will be stopped.

On the other hands, according to Point Đ, Clause 1, Article 5 of the Law on Labour Safety and Hygiene, employees have the right to refuse to work or leave their working places, but still receive their full salaries and are not considered violating the labour discipline when they clearly detect labour risks that severely threaten their lives and health. They should also promptly notify their managers of these risks.

According to Point Đ, Clause 1, Article 7 of the law, employers cannot force employees to continue doing their jobs or return to work when there are risks that severely threaten their lives and health.

Clause 3, Article 98 of the 2012 Labour Law regulates that with objective reasons like natural disasters, fire, diseases, relocation of working areas as required by competent agencies, or economic reasons, the salaries paid for workers to quit their job cannot be lower than the minimum wage under the Government’s regulation.

Accordingly, if workers have to take leave due to the disease, they will still receive salaries they had negotiated with their employers, and the salaries must not be lower than the minimum wage.

Thank you!