VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Education and Training has required localities to re-examine the operation of private kindergartens, which have recently been at the centre of several serious cases of child abuse.

Baby-sitters care for children at a privately owned day-care centre in Ha Noi's Ba Dinh District. Unlicensed day-care centres will be strictly inspected by the Ministry of Education and Training to prevent child abuse. (Photo: VNS)
Unlicensed and poor-quality private kindergartens would be forced to close down next year to assure the child safety, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Nghia said.

Departments of education and training were required to implement regular inspections or random checks on local private kindergartens.

Nghia requested that the departments consider plans to construct more kindergartens near economic and industrial zones and factories for workers who have moved from other localities.

Initial results are asked to report to the ministry by next February.

Several serious cases of child abuse have been reported.

Last Friday, four-year-old Nguyen Anh Hao, died from an electricity shock in Binh Son Kindergarten in Binh Son Commune, Hon Dat District in the southern province of Kien Giang. The school was forced to temporarily close down while further investigations got under way yesterday, Dec 23.

A video clip showing Binh Duong Province unlicensed nursery owner Tran Thi Phung mistreating three-year-old Ho Thi Thuy Ngan while bathing her was posted to the internet two weeks ago. Phung has been detained after being found to have regularly pulled Ngan's hair, stamping on her, pinning her down to the floor and verbally abusing the child.

Last month, four-year-old Le Quang Vinh caused serious injury to himself after he panicked following his teacher confining him to a dumb waiter at the Hoa Lan Private Nursery School in HCM City. Tran Thi Xuan Nu, the school teacher, might face a three-year prison sentence of her behaviour.

Figures from the ministry show that up to 40 per cent of private nursery schools are unlicensed nationwide. In Ha Noi, about 23 per cent of 800 private nursery schools and businesses are unlicensed.

Nearly 400 illegal nursery schools in the city were forced to close in 2008.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News