VietNamNet Bridge – Disadvantaged children and their demands for education have drawn the attention of many delegates at a recent workshop in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vocational training for disadvantaged children. (Source: VNA)

The event was co-organised by the centre for health education and future community development and the Justice Initiatives Facilitation Fund, which is sponsored by the European Commission, Denmark and Sweden.

The delegates shared views on challenges hindering efforts to assist children living in difficulty to go to school.

Ta Vang Duc, Rector of the Hospitality School of Ho Chi Minh City, considered vocational training as the most suitable option for children who, for some reason, cannot pursue their academic studies and are living on the streets.

He also underscored the need for teachers to equip themselves with psychological skills to understand their students’ characteristics, as homeless children have to earn their living at a very early age and have no relatives standing by to encourage them.

A representative of a charity house for children in the city pointed to difficulties regarding finance, facilities and teachers’ knowledge that make it impossible for them to provide a full education for disadvantaged children.

According to Duong Phuong Hanh, Secretary General of the International Federation of Hard of Hearing People, only middle schools in Vietnam receive children with hearing loss while a significant number of them desire to follow into higher education.

MA Le Minh Cong from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities proposed the coordination of regular schools and charity centres in this field.

Both the family and school need to join hands to build children’s confidence to learn, he said.

His views were shared by many delegates at the workshop, who suggested the expansion of social activities for children in difficulty.

Source: Vietnam Plus