The Vietnamese peacekeeping force at UNISFA (United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei) and a representative of Minister of Education and Construction Nyinkwany Aguer Bol late last week visited the schools in the Abyei area to conduct fieldwork in a plan to improve local schools.

There are about 10 schools in the area. The school with the lowest number of students has 200 students, located 20 kilometers from Abyei center and the road to the school is very rough. The biggest school has nearly 3,000 students, created by the merger of seven different schools.

The number of teachers at the schools is modest, and most are volunteers from other African countries. 

The facilities at the schools are very poor, with few classrooms, cafeterias and toilets. Some schools have many students, but have fewer than 15 classrooms. As a result, 100-150 students are gathered in every classroom.

Previously, the Vietnam Army Corps of Engineers helped build classrooms, teachers' rooms and cafeterias, drilled wells, installed clean water supply pipes, built roads, made tables and chairs, and donated notebooks and pens at some schools. 

Closing the fieldwork, the Vietnamese mission had a meeting with the Ministry of Education and Construction to discuss solutions to renovate and improve infrastructure conditions and educational materials.

Since the activity is not a duty of the Vietnamese mission, arranging materials and ensuring the security and safety during the construction process is a top priority, and the activity needs the support of local authorities.

Captain Phung The Khanh, civil and military coordination officer of the Engineer Team No 2, said in addition to professional activities, the Vietnamese team supports local people, considering this a regular and long-term task. 

On September 16, the Vietnamese peacekeeping force went to a nursery school at the Abyei Church, where 200 orphan children are cared for and taught. On this occasion, the force held a cartoon screening and gave sweets to children.

Vietnamese blue-beret soldiers arrived there early in the morning with screening equipment, such as TVs, computers and broadcast players, to set up a ‘cinema’ within the school. Meanwhile, female soldiers arranged chairs and tables, and guided children to watch films and sing an English song.

The kindergarten principal Catherine expressed her appreciation for what Vietnamese soldiers have been doing for Abyei and the school. The children could not watch TV for a long time and it was an opportunity for them to discover new things.

Tran Thuong