THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF VIETNAM

1. THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF VIETNAM POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PLANSTO DEVELOP INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN IN VIETNAM Mr. Le Tien Thanh- Director General of Primary Education Department-MOET Vietnam Standing Deputy Director of the Steering Committee to integrate children with disabilities and disadvantages Da Nang, 18/10/2011

2. CONTENTS I. Inclusive education policy in Vietnam II. Results of implementation of inclusive education policy in Vietnam III. The challenges of inclusive education in Vietnam IV. Development Plan for inclusive education in 2011-2020

3. 1. FACTS ABOUT INCULSIVE EDUCATION IN VIETNAM • There were about 6.7 million people with disabilities, including 3.6 million women, more than 5 million live in rural areas. • Approximately 1.2 million children with disabilities, including: mental 27% mobility 20% language 19%; hearing impaired 12.43%, visual impaired 12%; others 7%, multi disabilities 12.62%; severe disabilities 31%,

4. 1. FACTS ABOUT INCULSIVE EDUCATION IN VIETNAM • Causes: congenital 72.38%, disease 24.34%, accidents 3.93%, at birth 2.28%. • At primary level, there are 1.3 million ethnic minority students, 30% do not know or know little of Vietnamese; • About 15. 000 are helpless, orphans, early labor, street children.

5. 2.National policy on Inclusive Education • Signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities • Commitments to seven priority areas in the "Biwako millennium Framework of Action towards an inclusive, barrier-free society in respect of the rights of persons with disabilities," in Asia - Pacific. • National Action Plan for Education for All during 2003-2015. • Prioritizing on the following groups: disability, ethnic minority; helpless orphans, street children; girls.

6. The system of legal documents • Constitution; Ordinance on Disable people in1998; Education Law; Law on Disability 2010; • Education development strategy during 2011 - 2020; National Action Plan for Education for All, during 2003-2015; • Project "Support to Persons with Disabilities for 2011-2020". • Decision 23/2006/QD-BGDDT on disabled and handicapped children; Circular 39/2009/TT-BGDDT on inclusive education for children with difficulties; Plan for education of disabled children from 2007 to 2010 and vision 2015.

7. The legal system implies • The State ensures equal access to education, education method in accordance with circumstances and abilities of each group. • The State is responsible for IE, to encourage organizations, individuals and international organizations to provide investment resources to establish schools and classes for IE. • Exempt or reduce tuition fees, cost of learning and support for people with disabilities having economic difficulties. • No discrimination. People with disabilities are provided the means, equipment and learning support materials in accordance with the form and severity of disabilities.

8. II.Results of implementation of IEpolicies 1. Mobilization of children with difficulties to school • 2008-2009: 96.95% enrollment; 95.4% girls; 95.05% chilren of ethnic minority. • In Decmber 2010 the universalization of secondary education was achieved in 63 provinces/cities; 57/63 city /province reached standard level 1; • 2003-2004: 107,500 school children with disabilities enjoyed inclusive education • 2008-2009: 390,000 school children with disabilities enjoyed inclusive education and 7500 received special education. Children with disabilities at primary school age accounted for 67%; 48.5% had academic achievement of above average • Changes in awareness, social responsibility to enhance opportunities for children with disabilities to school.

9. 2. The training of human resources for IE • Some colleges/universities have established Department of Special Education, which train teachers to teach children with disabilities. • Each year nearly 800 teachers are formally trained on IE; 20,000 receive short training to teach children with disabilities. Many are trained in advanced countries in the world. Number of PhD, Masters in special education increased markedly.

10. 3. The facilities, research • Programs, materials, textbooks for education of children with disablities have been under construction, evaluation, and put into use • Research is conducted relating to detection, early intervention and IE for intellectual retardation, hearing impaired, visual impared children, converting textbooks into Braille; uniform system of Braille; sign language system for the blind, hearing impaired performance, equipment and other teaching aids for people with disabilities, programs, content and textbooks for integrated school receiving children with disabilities.

11. 4. Management system • Since 2003 a unit under MOET was established responsible for education of children with disabilities. • In 2010, the unit was renamed the Steering Committee to educate children with disabilities and difficulties, a Deputy Minister of MOET acts as Chairman; leaders of the Departments, the Institutes are members. • Since 2003 all cities/provinces established Steering Committee for education of children with disabilities, IE is included on the guidance in learning tasks

12. MoET SC-MoET DoET SC-DoET IE Center at province level BoET Staff-BoET IE Center at district level Pre-schools, Primary and Secondary Schools 4. Management system

13. 5. International Cooperation • Strengthening international cooperation in order to communicate, exchange and sharing of experience in developing IE. • Vietnam’s IE has received active support from many international organizations, government and non-Government organizations: USAID, CRS, Medical Committee Netherlands – Vietnam, UNICEF, (Save the Children Alliance - SC), Plan Intl, International Volunteers (VSO), NIPPION Japan Foundation, JICA, East Meets West. • The support of international organizations: building materials, textbooks to teach children with disabilities, early intervention, teaching equipment and construction of Disability Law and other legal documents concerning IE.

14. III. Challenges in IE • Community awareness on IECommunity is not fully aware of the role and responsibilities of society in the education for children with difficulties • Quality of the staff and teachers Not sufficient training and retraining in quantity and quality to meet the needs of a growing schools having children with difficulties • Participation, inter-sectoral cooperationThe ministries and related departments lack consensus in providing guidance on IE.

15. IV. Development Plan for 2011-2020 • Renovating the direction and management of IEChange the perspective from humanitarian aid into the ensurance of human rights, people with disabilities are part of human resources.   • To propagate the awareness on IEPurpose: To create awareness on IE Contents: Propagation of Disability law, guidelines, policies, aid programs on IE; set a good example of children with difficulties who rise up in life, institutions and individuals who operate effectively in IE ; organize training, retraining for staff of IE.

16. 3. Building a database on IE system Content: Explore the level of special educational needs in the country, build a statistical forecast updated each year on the need for IE.4. Training human resources for IEPurpose: To build a statistic system and forecasts on IE needs to develop consistent strategies and plans on IE.Renewing programs for teachers and staff in schools about special education, increase the training of teachers to teach directly in many forms. Open training program. Build program, organize annual training for teachers and staff who participate in IE.

17. 5. Develop system of written guidance on IEMake sure children with difficulties enjoy the State's policies and social assistanceThere are national policy support (scholarships, textbooks, materials, equipment and learning ...).Promulgate policies to encourage, motivate teachers and staff to work in inclusive education (remuneration, recruitment, training and retraining, incentive allowances ...).

18. 6. IE Program • Construction, evaluation and issuance of uniform programs,documentation, books and equipment for IE; as well as additional programs to suit the development needs of children with difficulties • Develop training programs for young children with Vietnamese communication difficulties, children of ethnic minorities who do not know or know little Vietnamese and for disable children.Compiling and publishing sign language materials.

19. 7. Formation of professional service system to support IE developmentPurpose: To guide, consult, provide technical support and facilities for the construction and operation of Centers for inclusive education Development Content: To organize a public service system to support education for people with disabilities.For localities with no special schools, there is a need to set up this Center; those already have special schools, there’s a need to upgrade, strengthen and convert the school into the Center model.

20. All provinces / cities nationwide have the target to set up IE Center.Concentrate on building of 8 centers in 8 regions in the country.8. Develop criteria and evaluation tools of learning outcomes for students with disabilitiesPurpose: Assess the capacity and facilitate student access to educationContent: Develop criteria and evaluation tools of learning outcomes for students with disabilities at all levels.

21. Vietnam is doing everything to improve the proportion of children who have difficulties in school, creating opportunities for all children receive quality education with educational methods appropriate to the circumstances and ability of each group.Make sure all children with difficulties have the opportunity to access a quality education, help them quickly integrate into the community.

22. Thank you