UNICEF Viet Nam Ethnic Boarding Schools Study

BACKGROUND

Vietnam is ethnically diverse, with 54 ethnicities and ethnic minorities (EM) representing 13.8% of the population. However, these ethnic minorities, who predominantly live in the country’s rural, remote and mountainous regions, have not benefited as much as the rest of the population from the country’s rapid economic development. As of 2019, 35.5 % of EM households are considered in or near poverty by national standards, 3.5 times higher than the country’s average. These ethnic minority groups also lag behind their majority counterparts in education outcomes. Although the numbers of EM students at all school levels have been increasing, education indicators of EM students continue to fall behind their Kinh peers. Among ethnic minorities, only 41% of school-aged adolescents attended upper secondary school (compared to 72.3% nationally), and the literacy rate among ethnic minorities is only 79.25% (compared to 94.7% nationally).

For nearly 40 years, the Boarding and Semi-Boarding School (BSBS) system for EM students has always been considered a necessary type of investment in the education of ethnic minority and disadvantaged students, and the Government plans to expand its presence in EM regions continuously. This system aims to improve access to education in areas with high concentrations of ethnic minorities, with the expected output to improve the quality of human resources working in the public sector in ethnic minority areas.

Study on the situation of learning, well-being and development of students at boarding and semi-boarding schools (BSBS) in 3 provinces: Lao Cai, Kon Tum and Ninh Thuan. The study evaluated the BSBS system as a strategy to improve accessibility and quality of education, as well as opportunities for skills training for ethnic minority students in Vietnam, based on the children’s rights approach. This study collects information from all stakeholders, including EM students, parents, teachers, school headmasters, and local authorities, to provide research evidence to UNICEF and Government agencies.

The Research and Training Center for Community Development (RTCCD) conducted the study with technical support from IDinsight and UNICEF Vietnam. The Ministry of Education and Training approved the study.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The study’s overall goal is to examine the use of the EMS BSBS as a strategy to improve access and quality of education and skilling opportunities for ethnic minorities in Viet Nam. This will be achieved through the following objectives:

• Strengthen the evidence base around the effectiveness of boarding and semi-boarding schools in Viet Nam for ethnic minority children’s learning and development;
• Analyze the goals and status of the boarding and semi-boarding school system, particularly related to the physical and mental health, overall well-being and development of students and
• Provide policy recommendations to support UNICEF 2022-2026 Education Strategy and the Government of Viet Nam in developing ethnic minority-related education policies and practices that are inclusive, rights-based, and culturally sensitive.

METHODOLOGY

This is a cross-sectional, mixed-method study, which employed primary quantitative and qualitative data collection.

• Component 1: Quantitative survey of enrolled students, dropout students and their parents
• Component 2: In-depth interviews and focused-group discussions with officials and leaders of the Provincial Department of Education and Training, school headmasters, teachers, parents and students.

RESEARCH TIMELINES

The study was conducted from May to December 2023. Data collection in Lao Cai, Kon Tum and Ninh Thuan was collected from August 28, 2023 – September 15, 2023.

SOME PICTURES FROM THE FIELD TRIP

EXPECTED RESULTS

The final report and policy brief are expected to be published and circulated to all stakeholders in December 2023.