A total of 789 Japanese candidates participated in the 6th Vietnamese-language proficiency test held at the Japan College of Foreign Languages (JCFL) in Tokyo on June 18.

The candidates from 35 localities across Japan are those who study or do jobs relating to Vietnamese such as Vietnamese language students at universities, translators, and those who want to explore Vietnam and Vietnamese people, especially Vietnamese food.

Fujino Masayoshi, chairman of the association of Southeast Asian nations’ foreign language exchange in Japan, said that the test attracted candidates from all over Japan. Another good thing is that many candidates, after passing the exam in 2022, have continued to register for this year's exam at a higher level.

That proved the candidates continue to improve their Vietnamese language ability.

Ise Yoji, Chairman of the Bunsai Gakuen Non-Profit Education Foundation, said he believed that the number of Japanese people who are interested in Vietnam will continue to increase because exchange and cooperation activities between the two countries are growing. A good impression of Vietnam and its people is the motivation for many Japanese to learn Vietnamese.

The Vietnamese language proficiency test is held annually to standardise and popularise the Vietnamese language in Japan. As planned, the 7th Vietnamese language proficiency test will take place on June 16, 2024.

Water puppetry performance impressive in Russia

A troupe from the Thang Long Puppet Theater performed folk music and traditional water puppet shows in Moscow and Voronezh from June 2-18 at the invitation of the organisation committee of the 16th Chekhov International Theater Festival.

The show in Voronezh left a deep impression not only on the Russian audience but also on the Vietnamese community there, including the second and third generations of Vietnamese people living in the city.

Head of the troupe Tran Thanh Hien, said that due to the limited manpower, the artists have to work hard but enthusiastic feedback from the Russian audience motivates the performers a lot.

Vietnamese, Lao localities enhance cooperation in forest, wildlife protection

Officials of Salavan province of Laos and central Thua Thien-Hue province of Vietnam have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in protecting forests, forest products and wildlife in the border areas of the two localities in the 2023-2028 period.

Under the document, the two sides will coordinate to prevent and control illegal logging, mining, wildlife hunting, and timber and wildlife trade along the shared border areas.

The localities will work on inspecting and supervising the import and export of forest products and wildlife, and educating local communities on the importance of forest management and protection, and wildlife conservation.

They are seeking funding from international organisations to restore wildlife populations that are on the verge of extinction.

According to Lao media, the two nations have had long-lasting cooperation in many development areas of Laos, especially in ago-forestry collaboration.

Last year, Vietnam and Laos agreed to strengthen comprehensive cooperation in agriculture, forestry, and rural development, focusing on applying technologies, training human resources and investing in trade development.

They have cooperated in a series of agro-forestry projects, including those to support agricultural and rural development and poverty reduction models in Houaphanh and Xiengkhuang provinces of Laos.

Vietnamese and Lao authorities are also developing a master plan for flood prevention and drainage to ensure food security in central Khammouane and Savannakhet provinces of Laos.

Green tourism development needed to preserve geological heritage

Establishing geoparks and developing geotourism are the most effective measures to protect and preserve geological heritage, said an insider.

According to Dang Tran Nhu Thuy from the Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources under the Ministry of Natural Resources an Environment (MoNRE), geotourism is an eco-tourism type that can be developed areas with important geological features and values, such as inactive or active craters, river canyons, waterfalls, or paleontological remains and fossils.

Thuy highlighted the role played by geoparks for the sustainable development of territories.

Geoparks, which have developed for more than 20 years, is a collection of geological heritages with clear administrative and geographical boundaries regulated and protected by law. The model was officially recognised by UNESCO.

Vietnam’s geopark network was established in 2019, with five members namely Dong Van Karst Plateau, Non Nuoc Cao Bang and Dak Nong UNESCO global geoparks, and Ly Son – Sa Huynh and Lang Son geoparks.

These geoparks have increasingly upheld both natural and social values, contributing to promoting geotourism development and realising sustainable development goals in the country, Thuy said.

Classical masterpieces to enchant audiences in HCM City

Audiences in the southern city of Ho Chi Minh will have an opportunity to enjoy a night of canonic music entitled “From the West to East” to be held on June 25 at the local Opera House.

According to the Ho Chi Minh Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO), famous artists both home and abroad such as violist Jeon Min from the Republic of Korea, British-Vietnamese pianist Bich Tra, and conductor Tran Nhat Minh will take part in the event.

The event aims to honour two legendary Russian composers, Sergei Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943) and Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953).

With Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3, pianist Bich Tra is expected to bring deep emotions full of surprises to concert goers. Tra’s performances have been praised as “coruscating” (The Independent), “sophisticated” (Rheinpfalz-Zeitung) and possessing “surpassing artistry and passion” (American Record Guide).

Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30, was composed in the summer of 1909. The piece was premiered on November 28 of that year in New York City with the composer as the soloist, accompanied by the New York Symphony Society under Walter Damrosch. The work is reputed as one of the most technically challenging concertos in the standard classical piano repertoire.

As the creator of acknowledged masterpieces across numerous music genres, Sergei Prokofiev is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century. Especially, his symphonic fairy tale “Peter and the wolf” for narrator and orchestra has enchanted generations of children

At the show, violist Jeon Minh will wow audiences with Prokofiev’s violin Concerto No. 1 in D major.

A documentary about Viet Nam's first women's World Cup campaign made

A documentary film about the national women's football team's journey to the 2023 World Cup will be screened to mark a milestone in Vietnamese football.

The Việt Nam Football Federation and ViewFinder, a film production company, announced the project entitled Vietnam - Where are you? on June 16 in HCM City.

It is the first documentary about the women's squad and their journey to reach the global largest football competition. The film will tell stories about how the team overcame challenges and difficulties to make their incredible achievement. It also highlights the great efforts, sacrifices and unity of each player and the team to push to reach the finals.

According to the producers "Vietnam - Where are you? was based on materials of real humans and events. The main stories were made to be close, sensitive and delicate to the mass audience instead of a reportage.

The film makers say It was important to ensure entertainment while truly portraying the players' characters. The documentary focused on players' dialogue, but it's the change of players in daily life and in the field clarify their personalities.

The documentary, also using resources from the press and media, will be published on Việt Nam Women's Day on October 20.

It is sponsored by Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (SABECO), a long-term partner of Việt Nam's sport delegation.

Bennett Neo, SABECO CEO, said the documentary Vietnam - Where are you would share the inspirational journey of national female football players, showing their resilience and relentless effort to make the country's dream true.

He hoped that the untold stories of the journey to the 2023 World Cup would reach millions of fans, and above all spread the spirit and bravery of the female players.

SABECO was very proud and honoured to be the official sponsor of the project which values the amazing achievements of the women's team.

The team are currently training in Germany where they took two wins against local clubs. They will travel to Poland to have a friendly against the Polish U23 squad on June 21 and the German national team on June 24.

They will move to New Zealand on July 5 and have two weeks making familiar with the competition conditions.

The Australia-New Zealand World Cup will be from July 20 to August 20.

Việt Nam are in the same Group with defending champion USA, first runner-up the Netherlands and Portugal. 

Phong takes Asian silver, qualifies for world gymnastics championship 
 
Việt Nam's Nguyễn Văn Khánh Phong won a silver medal at the Asian Gymnastics Championships which came to an end in Singapore on June 18.

SEA Games champion Nguyễn Văn Khánh Phong made a big step in his career with a second-place finish in the men's rings, his favourite apparatus, and secured Việt Nam's second spot at the World Gymnastics Championship later this year.

The Vietnamese youngster took 14.366 points to win the silver, his first major success.

The gold medal went to Chinese Lan Xingyu with 15.200 points while the bronze was won by Ng Kiu Chung of Hong Kong with 14.100 points.

Phong's medal was the only one of Việt Nam from the continental championship.

He will join his teammate Lương Vĩ Văn at the world tournament which will be organised between September 30 to October 8 in Belgium.

Văn earlier secured his place after being one of six qualifiers from the men's all-round event.

The Belgian competition is the 2024 Paris Olympic Games qualifier. The top three highest-ranked teams in the team final will automatically qualify a full team of five gymnasts for the Games.

Việt Nam sent a squad of five men and four women to the Singapore competition which attracts athletes from 25 countries and territories.

Residents in many areas of Đồng Tháp at constant risk of erosion

​The house of Trần Ngọc Điệp, a resident in Tân Nhuận Đông Commune of the southern province of Đồng Tháp, is at risk of collapse any time due to river erosion.

Erosion occurred in many areas of Đồng Tháp Province, turning people’s lives upside down, and putting them at constant risk of their homes collapsing.

Early this month, there was an erosion 30 metres long on the Nha Mân - Tư Tải river bank (Tân Nhuận Đông Commune, Châu Thành District). It seeped into the land by 4-5 metres, causing problems on route DT854 which connects Châu Thành District with Bình Tân District in Vĩnh Long Province).

There were no injuries reported, but the erosion sank a warehouse of agricultural supplies and a motorcycle repair shop of two local households. The estimated damage is around VNĐ500 million (US$21,200).

In late May, erosion occurred in Cần Lố river bank in Nhị Mỹ Commune, Cao Lãnh District, causing VNĐ500 million damage.

The erosion was 40 metres long, seeping into the land by 3-5 metres, damaging two houses, causing 160 square metres of land to fall into the river.

A week earlier, on the same Cần Lố river bank near Nhị Mỹ market, another 30 metre long erosion occurred, sinking 135 square metres of land and putting five houses at risk.

Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cao Lãnh District, Huỳnh Thanh Sơn said that in order to ensure safety for the citizens and preventing erosions, they will be requesting the help of the provincial Steering Committee of Responding to Climate Change - Natural Disaster Prevention and Search, Rescue.

Huỳnh Minh Đường, Director of Irrigation Division said, since early 2023, there have been 19 erosions on rivers, canals, ditches in the communes: Phương Trà, Tân Hội Trung, An Bình, Tân Nghĩa, Nhị Mỹ, Mỹ Thọ (Cao Lãnh District); Tân Phú Đông, Tân Quy Tây (Sa Đéc Town); Hòa Tân, Phú Long, An Khánh, Tân Nhuận Đông (Châu Thành District).

The total length of the erosion amounted to 600 metres with total size of 2,000 square metres.

A total of five houses collapsed and 15 other households were affected directly with total estimated damage of VNĐ2 billion.

Notably, he said, within two months (from late March to early June), Cao Lãnh District alone has dealt with 12 erosions, totaling 345 metres in length and 1,285 square metres total area, forcing many families to dismantle their houses and relocate.

According to Đồng Tháp Province’s Steering Committee for Climate Change Response, Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Search-Rescue, in 2022, the erosions in Tiền and Hậu rivers had a total length of 27 kilometres, seeping into the land from 0.3-22 metres in 21 communes, wards, towns of eight districts and cities.

A total of 3.2 hectares of land was lost, properties damage was estimated to be VNĐ7 billion,

As many as 19 households were affected and were relocated.

Last year the province also had to deal with erosions on canals and ditches with a total length of 21.7 kilometres (increased by 19.5 kilometres compared to 2021) with total damage estimated at VNĐ6.37 billion (increased by VNĐ5.12 billion compared to 2021).

Vice Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province Võ Thành Ngoan said that the main reasons for erosion include the impact of water’s momentum, and changing of water flow caused by the emergence of sand dunes in the river bed.

Erosion tends to happen in isle areas, where rivers branch out, places where streams merge in, where water streams are unstable, or streams are narrow, and where rivers lack alluvium.

Human activities also contribute to the issue including unplanned aquatic animal farms; building houses and other constructions that take over a part of the river’s surface. Climate changes (including land subsidence and rainfall changes) also contribute to landslides in the province’s river bank areas.

The river bank erosion is also caused by riverbed and canal dredging activities. Most of the traffic infrastructure works in rural areas are located close to the river banks, he said.

To prevent erosion, local authorities have strengthened management of sand exploitation activities, construction near rivers, canals and ditches.

In the last few years, through support from the central government, Đồng Tháp has carried out many projects with budget up to trillions of đồng in order to prevent erosion. Many embankment constructions have been built, such as: Hồng Ngự, Sa Đéc, An Hiệp (Châu Thành District). Furthermore, locals are carrying out embankment projects in Cao Lãnh City, Thanh Bình District and Lấp Vò District.

The province also suggested local residents grow types of plants that can maintain soil and protect river banks, canals, ditches; including bần (Sonneratia caseolaris)– a kind of plant that local residents are quite familiar with.

According to Chairman of Tân Quy Tây Commune’s People’s Committee Phan Thanh Vũ, local residents in his commune have grown bần trees for eight years.

Many other localities in the province are also planting bần trees to prevent erosion. Cao Lãnh District will implement a project to plant 38,000 bần trees in July 2023; Lai Vung District has planted 5,000 bần trees along canals and canals at risk of erosion. In 2023, the province aims to plant about 120,000 bần trees.

Community contributes to revival of traditional festivals in Hanoi

Many traditional festivals and rituals have been revived across Hà Nội, thanks to the role played by the community.

One example is the Láng Pagoda Festival, a traditional Spring Festival for people living by the Tô Lịch River held in the third month of the lunar calendar.

This year, for the first time in 70 years, all the folk rituals that made the Láng Pagoda Festival a unique event in the past have been restored.

Built in the 11th century, Láng pagoda has always been a famous pagoda in Hà Nội for its wide space, various antiques and Buddhist statues. The Spring festival at the pagoda is organised to show gratitude to King Lý Thần Tông (1116 - 1138) - the fifth king of the Lý Dynasty, and monk Từ Đạo Hạnh (1072-1116). It was a lively spring festival of the whole area that attracted people living on the sides of the Tô Lịch River nearby to attend. The festival involves ritual ceremonies and traditional games like swinging, wrestling, chess playing, tuồng (classical drama) and chèo (popular opera) performances, among others.

For a long time, not all of the old rituals during the festival were carried out. However, this year, the organising committee has determined to bring back all traditional rituals of the festival such as lễ tế (offering), độ hà (palanquin parade on the river) and đấu thần (fighting between gods). Every ritual has a unique meaning based on myths about Từ Đạo Hạnh.

Hà An Tuấn, vice chairman of Đống Đa District People’s Committee said the revival of traditional rituals at the Láng Pagoda Festival is of great significance, creating a distinctive feature of the city.

The same situation is seen in many other festivals in Hà Nội, such as the festival of the five Mọc Villages, Đồng Cổ Temple Festival, Thập Tam Trại (Thirteen Villages) Festival and Tản Viên Sơn Thánh (Tản Viên Mountain Saint) festival. The revival of rituals is made possible thanks to the active engagement of local communities. Local residents enthusiastically take part in discussions on restoring the rituals and choose people to perform the ceremony.

Bùi Thị Hương Thủy, deputy head of the Heritage Management Office under the city’s Department of Culture and Sports, highly appreciated the role of the community in assisting the unit set up dossiers for national intangible cultural heritage and helping localities restore ancient rites.

She said many festivals and traditional rituals have been lost in the flow of time, causing regret among local communities. Therefore, when localities want to revive them, local residents are eager to join in the work.

As the national cultural centre, Hà Nội has put an emphasis on investment in cultural development. The city's Party Committee has issued a programme and a resolution on cultural development.

With 1,206 traditional festivals held throughout the year, particularly in Spring, Hà Nội considers them a great resource to attract tourists to the city. The capital city is among the localities with the richest cultural heritage in Việt Nam, with 1,793 intangible cultural heritage items, including three UNESCO-recognised Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity, one on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of Urgent Safeguarding and one World Documentary Heritage.

Local player brings home gold at SEA Youth Table Tennis Champs

The Vietnamese team bagged one gold and six bronze medals at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Youth Table Tennis Championships 2023 which concluded in Brunei on June 18.

Nguyen Hoang Lam claimed gold in the men’s singles for U17 players after beating a Singaporean opponent in the final.

This is the first gold medal Vietnam has taken at the SEA Youth Table Tennis Championships over the past 15 years since it last bagged a similar medal in 2008.

Meanwhile, Lam’s teammates obtained six bronze medals in various categories such as the U19 men’s team, the U19 women’s team, the U19 women’s duo, the U17 men’s singles, the U19 mix and the U15 men’s singles.

The SEA Youth Table Tennis Championships 2023 was held at the Tutong Stadium in Brunei from June 13 to 18, drawing the participation of young players from across Southeast Asia. Vietnam sent 18 players to compete at the tournament.

Top Party leader chairs conference on local anti-corruption

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, head of the Central Steering Committee for Corruption and Negative Phenomena Prevention and Control, on June 19 chaired a conference to review one year of corruption prevention in localities across the country.

Reports show the provincial/municipal Steering Committees for Corruption and Negative Phenomena Prevention and Control since their inception a year ago have directed and put in place Party guidelines and State policies, as well as conclusions of the Central Steering Committee and Party General Secretary Trong on corruption prevention, bringing about initial results.

It’s noteworthy that 286 cases showing criminal signs have been transferred to the investigation agency for further investigations, increasing nearly three times compared to a year ago. They have also prosecuted 530 cases with 1,858 people involved and put hundreds of other complicated cases of great public concern under the microscope.

They have disciplined 15 Party organisations and nearly 80 officials of agencies tasked with corruption prevention and control for committing violations.Some provincial/municipal Steering Committees have developed a methodical plan to direct communication campaigns on the prevention and combat of corruption and negativity. They have met gradually to deal with complicated cases and remove obstacles to help step up the investigation process.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong is expected to give some directions at the conference.

The fifth plenum of the 13th Party Central Committee on May 10, 2022 decided to establish provincial/municipal Steering Committees for Corruption and Negative Phenomena Prevention and Control in an effort to combat corruption in localities.

Three months later, all 63 provinces and cities formed these steering committees, with the capital city of Hanoi, the north-central province of Thanh Hoa and the central city of Da Nang taking the lead.

They have quickly formulated working regulations, assigned tasks to members and developed working programmes to be undertaken.

HFM disease claims for lives across southern Vietnam

Southern provinces have so far recorded more than 9,000 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD), including four deaths, according to the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City.

Based on the latest laboratory results, a significant proportion of the samples tested positive for Enterovirus 71 (EV-71), which causes HFMD. EV-71 is believed to generally cause severe complications and deaths among infected patients.

Currently, there are 147 HFMD child sufferers who are receiving treatment at pediatric hospitals in the southern region, of which 14 cases are in serious condition and one case requires blood dialysis.

To minimise infections and fatalities, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has developed prevention and control scenarios, and asked localities to evaluate human resources, medical equipment and supplies as well as drugs at all medical stations to ensure they are ready to receive and treat patients.

They are responsible for monitoring patients at hospitals, especially during holidays and weekends in order to detect and promptly treat patients when they get worse.

Moreover, three hospitals specialising in pediatrics and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City will provide professional support for lower-tiered medical facilities to prevent unsafe transfers.

Symptoms of HFMD usually include fever, mouth sores, and skin rash. The rash is commonly found on the hands and feet, mainly in the form of blisters, as well as on the palms, soles, knees, and buttocks.

Most of the cases are mild, although some cases can be severe, causing dangerous complications such as encephalitis - meningoencephalitis, myocarditis, and acute pulmonary edema which may lead to death.

Over 1,500 people participate in Danang International Yoga Festival 2023
 
More than 1,500 people joined in a mass yoga performance in the central coastal city of Danang on Sunday evening. 

The event was held at Bien Dong (East Sea) Park in Son Tra district to celebrate the Danang International Yoga Festival 2023.

According to Danang City People's Committee vice chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the event aimed to tighten co-operation and friendship between Danang and Indian people.

"Through yoga, we've introduced Indian culture to people in Danang," the official said. "The event also aims to enhance public awareness of the effects of yoga on people’s physical and mental health, contributing to encouraging people to do physical exercise."

Speaking at the event, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, Sandeep Arya stressed that we should encourage people to practice yoga as it is a very good way to remain healthy.

"The ninth International Yoga Day is currently being celebrated in at least 35 localities in Vietnam with the themed “One World – One Health," he said. 

Nearly 2,000 yogis from many northern localities are also expected to join a mass yoga performance and compete in a Yoga tournament due to be held on June 21 in the northern province of Quang Ninh to mark the ninth International Day of Yoga.

Gangsters threaten lobster farm owners in Khanh Hoa bay

Fish farmers in Van Phong Bay, the largest in the central province of Khanh Hoa Province, are appealing for help after they claimed that gangsters were intimidating them into selling lobsters for cheap. 

Over the past months, dozens of high-speed boats and wooden boats have been seen swarming around lobster farm rafts on Van Phong Bay in Van Ninh District, some 60 kilometres to the north of Nha Trang City.

The alleged gangsters flocked to lobster rafts in Van Hung, Van Thang, Van Binh, Van Thanh Communes and Dam Mon Peninsula and ordered farmers to sell suffocated lobsters for them at a cheap price.

As the fishermen refused their proposal, the group of gangsters threatened and attacked them.

In the Son Dung area where there are many shrimp farming rafts, farmers feed their lobsters from 8 am to 10:30 am daily and then checked if the shrimp are dead or suffering oxygen shortages to catch them for sale.

At that time, high-speed boats or wooden boats started approaching lobster rafts and ordered the farmers to sell all the newly-dead lobsters for them.

Due to fears of being attacked, some lobster farming raft owners reluctantly agreed with their proposal.

Authorities in Khanh Hoa have ordered local police to investigate the case by June 26.

Vietnam prioritises green transition for sustainable development: workshop

Representatives from international organisations, businesses and financial funds in Switzerland raised recommendations for Vietnam regarding green transition towards sustainable development, at a recent workshop held by the Vietnamese mission in Geneva.

Speaking at the hybrid event, Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, affirmed that shifting to the green economy and the circular economy is Vietnam’s priority.

Vietnam has coordinated with international organisations like the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank (WB), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and the World Economic Forum (WEF) in attracting green commercial projects adaptive to climate change, she said.

The participants compared notes on opportunities and challenges for developing countries, including Vietnam, in green transition and impacts of environment policies and measures on trade.

Representatives from the UNDP and the WB pledged to support Vietnam and other developing nations in raising their capacity and connecting with companies in order to consolidate their green economy strategies and push ahead with the just energy transition.

HCMC 10th-grade entrance exam: English test records the highest score

On June 18, the Board of Examiners for the 10th-grade entrance exam in the 2023-2024 school year in Ho Chi Minh City finished the marking procedure, commencing the process of checking and officially grading for about 96,000 candidates.
 
Candidates take the 10th-grade entrance exam at Suong Nguyet Anh Secondary School, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by CAO THANG
Preliminary data reveals that this year, the exam scores of three required subjects including Literature, Mathematics and English do not experience much change compared to the previous school year.

In particular, the number of math tests scoring above average accounts for nearly 55 percent, mostly ranging from 5 to 7 points, with fewer tests scoring 10 than last year.

Regarding foreign language tests, about 32 percent of the tests get good marks (8 points or above), with 2.2 percent of the tests scoring 10. This is also the subject with the highest number of tests scoring 8 or above in this year's entrance exam. When it comes to Literature, roughly 90 percent of the tests get above average scores, 12 percent of which get 8 points or above.

According to the Board of Examiners, the number of tests with zero marks in Literature and Mathematics this year is lower than that of the 2022-2023 school year.

As planned, on June 20, the HCMC Department of Education and Training is to announce the results of the 10th-grade entrance exam.

Candidates may submit their application for re-examination from June 21 at their current secondary school. On June 24, the admission scores for specialized, and integrated high schools as well as direct admission results shall be announced.

From July 11 to August 1, candidates who are qualified for public high schools shall apply for admission at the corresponding school.

In recent days, the Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular 11/2023/TT-BGDDT on the repeal of Circular 23/2014/TT-BGDDT stipulating high-quality training at university level has caused public concern.

In this regard, the Ministry of Education and Training explained that the repeal of Circular 23 was necessary and consistent with the provisions of the 2018 Law on Higher Education.

In particular, the Law on Higher Education 2012 stipulates that “the Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training shall stipulate criteria for high-quality training programs; shall be responsible for managing and supervising to keep the tuition fees commensurate with the training quality”. However, according to the provisions of the Law on Higher Education 2018, the concept of high-quality training programs has ceased to exist.

The development of different types of training programs is now under the autonomy of higher education institutions, ensuring compliance with regulations on training program standards of higher education levels specified in Circular 17/2021/TT-BGDĐT of the Ministry of Education and Training.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the repeal of Circular 23 does not mean that higher education institutions no longer or can no longer launch high-quality programs. Besides, this does not affect the enrollment and implementation of different training programs of higher education institutions.

These institutions have the autonomy in designing and developing training programs, as long as they can ensure compliance with regulations on training program standards, and on the quality of inputs, teaching and learning conditions, training process, outputs, as well as other training regulations.

The development and implementation of "high-quality programs" (with higher requirements on output standards, quality assurance, etc.) belong to the autonomy of higher education institutions, said the Ministry of Education and Training.

HCMC’s floating fruit market opens in District 8

The Southern fruit festival is taking place on the Tau Hu-Ben Nghe canal along Ben Binh Dong and Nguyen Van Cua streets in HCMC’s District 8, attracting a large number of visitors.

The “Tren Ben Duoi Thuyen” (On the Wharf - In the Boat) fruit festival includes 120 display booths selling a variety of fruits and specialties from provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region, such as Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Can Tho and more.

Visitors have a chance to enjoy fresh fruits and participate in cake-making demonstrations, making to he (toy figure made of colored rice dough, a kind of folk toy of Vietnamese children and edible), painting, designing, and decorating non la (palm-leaf conical hat).

District 8’s floating fruit market will run until June 22.
 
Besides the inner-city fruit festival, the fruit shows are also taking place in suburban areas during the summer holidays.

The HCMC annual largest fruit festival 2023 returns to Suoi Tien Cultural Park in Thu Duc City on June 1- August 31. The event has various activities including an exhibition of unique fruits from countries around the world that are planted in Suoi Tien Farm, a fruit market, a food fair, a delicious fruit contest, carving art with fruit and vegetables, and art performances with the participation of the Friendship Associations of Vietnam – Southeast Asia, Vietnam-India, Vietnam-Indonesia and Vietnam – Cambodia.

In addition, the People’s Committee of Cu Chi District of HCMC on June 3 launched a summer travel program called Hoa thom trai ngot (Sweet floral fruity) with many exciting activities featuring the characteristics of land, local people, and specific identities of the district.

Tourists have an opportunity to visit a fruit village in Trung An Commune by cycling or walking to enjoy fresh seasonal fruits of mangosteen, rambutan, and jackfruits from orchards; local delicious dishes, such as steamed cassava with coconut milk, durian sugarcane juice, bamboo shoot salad with shrimps and pork at countryside markets; and performances of Cai Luong (southern traditional amateur music) as well as participate in folk games.

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes