Representatives attend a conference on physical abuse in schools.

The signing ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) and World Vision (WV) Việt Nam.

Under the agreement, MOET and the WV will co-implement the campaign in 14 provinces and cities across the country.

The campaign targets changing the behaviour of teachers and students, with the aim of creating a safe educational environment without violence.

Knowledge and social skills on violence prevention and control will be included in the school curriculum to help teachers and students develop more practical skills.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyễn Thị Nghĩa said that various research works have shown that physical violence not only leaves serious consequences on children’s social skills but also affects society’s development.

“The educational sector, thus, hopes to join hands with organisations and individuals to end violence against children,” she said.

Trần Thu Huyền, representative of WV Việt Nam, said: “We cannot deny schools’ important role in forming children’s personality and behaviour.”

The campaign will focus on enhancing love in families, schools and communities.

“We believe that when children are brought up with love and care, children will see the world with the right attitude and have proper behaviour,” she said.

Several cases of physical violence against students have been reported recently. Lê Thị Quy, a teacher at Tô Hiệu Junior Secondary School in Hà Nội’s Thường Tín District, on May 9 forced a ninth grader to kneel down in the classroom because the student had not obeyed a class regulation.

In another case, Nguyễn Thị Thu Trang, a teacher at Quán Toan Primary School in Hồng Bàng District in the northern port city of Hải Phòng, on May 8 slapped and used a ruler to beat several students.

WV started working in Việt Nam with emergency relief assistance in 1988 and opened an office in Hà Nội in 1990.

WV Việt Nam works for the well-being of children and their protection. Every year, over 200,000 children directly benefit from the organisation’s programmes which operate in 14 provinces and cities throughout the country. — VNS