Vietnamese, Lao women urged to uphold tradition

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has asked the Vietnam and Laos Women’s Unions to uphold their tradition and effectively implement signed agreements.

Speaking at a May 3 reception for Sisay Leudethmounsone, President of the Lao Women’s Union (LWU), Mr Trong urged the unions to work together closely to promote exchange and organize activities within in the framework of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year 2012, thus contributing to deepening the special ties of friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

He said he is pleased with the recent achievements made by the Lao Party, State, and people and said he believes Laos will reap greater success in its Renewal process.

Leudethmounsone briefed the Party chief on the results of cooperation between the two women’s unions and expressed appreciation for Vietnam’s assistance to Laos.

** Earlier, Leudethmounsone was received by Ha Thi Khiet, Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, who proposed that the two women’s unions introduce more practical initiatives to carry out cooperation programmes.

The LWU President congratulated the Vietnamese people on their achievements made during the Renewal process, national construction and defence.

She affirmed that the LWU will closely coordinate with its Vietnamese counterpart (VWU) in effectively implementing the 2012-2017 cooperative agreement, helping foster the Laos-Vietnam relationship.

NA Chairman meets voters in Ha Tinh Province

National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung met with voters in the central province of Ha Tinh on May 2-3 to hear their opinions on universal education and vocational training.

Voters who are teachers in Duc Tho District contributed many ideas on solving shortcomings in the educational sector of the country and the locality in particular.

They suggested giving allowances to people who do not directly deliver lectures, providing a preferential treatment for non-State educational establishments and improving the quality of teacher training.

After listening to voter opinions, the NA leader said that education and training are a leading task of the Party and State as well as a national policy for the national construction and development.

Applauding the voters’ frank opinions on the shortcomings in teaching and learning in the locality, Chairman Hung affirmed that the NA will consider and thoroughly assess these issues and gradually provide measures to solve them.

Meeting with teachers at the Ha Tinh Vocational Training School in Ha Tinh City, the NA Chairman stressed that in the new stage of development, Vietnam has a great demand for human resources.

However, in recent years vocational training work failed to meet all aspects of the requirements of national modernisation, construction and development, he said.

Therefore, an important task for the educational sector now is to train human resources and meet the country’s long-term developmental requirements, he said.

The NA leader asked the province to expand training models, diversify teaching methods and renovate curricula in order to avoid ineffective training.

The Ha Tinh voters suggested the State have specific policies for businesses to invest in vocational training and ensure sufficient material conditions for vocational training facilities.

The State should have policies to gather social resources for developing the vocational training network, they said.

VFF leader visits Buddhist patriarch

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee Huynh Dam on May 3 visited Most Venerable Thich Pho Tue, Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Patronage Council, at Vien Minh pagoda in Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi, on the occasion of the Buddha’s 2556th birthday.

President Dam extended his best wishes for the good health of the Patriarch, Buddhist dignitaries, monks, nuns and followers on the occasion and highlighted their active involvement in the patriotic emulation campaigns.

He said he believes the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and followers nationwide and abroad will contribute to the strong national unity towards the goal of a strong country with rich people and a just, democratic and civilised society.

He took the occasion to wish the upcoming 7^th National Congress of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha every success.

Most Venerable Thich Pho Tue said the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha will further urge its followers to actively participate in humanitarian activities and contributing to national defence and construction and improving people’s living standards.

VNN/VOV/VNA