This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

030717Z Dec 02

                         UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9213

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      JUSE-00  L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PER-00   PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   
      P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   
      DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W
                  ------------------11C5D7  030745Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8244
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 002885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SOCI PGOV PINS PHUM VM ETMIN
SUBJECT:  EDUCATING ETHNIC MINORITY STUDENTS IN THE NORTH 
 
REF:  A.  01 HANOI 3302     B. 01 HANOI 2963 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY.  THE GVN HAS MADE, AND CONTINUES TO MAKE, 
CONCERTED EFFORTS TO EXPAND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES 
THROUGHOUT THE NATION, NOT ONLY TO UNIVERSALIZE EVER-HIGHER 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02885  01 OF 04  030745Z 
LEVELS OF EDUCATION BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES.  SPECIAL PROGRAMS HAVE SET UP A 
SERIES OF SCHOLARSHIPS, FREE BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND POTS OF 
MONEY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED TO SCHOOLS AND OTHER LOCAL 
NEEDS FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES.  OFFICIALS ON THE GROUND 
STRUGGLE WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, HOWEVER, AND OFTEN ARE 
UNABLE TO MEET GOALS RELATED TO USE OF MINORITY LANGUAGE AT 
THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, OR COMPUTER TRAINING AT THE HIGH 
SCHOOL LEVEL.  END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------- 
PRIORITY ON PAPER 
----------------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  EDUCATION IN GENERAL, AND FOR ETHNIC MINORITY 
STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY, EMERGED AS A PRIORITY ISSUE DURING 
THE ONGOING 2ND SESSION OF THE 11TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, ALONG 
WITH OVERALL EFFORTS TO ASSIST "DISADVANTAGED" AND 
MOUNTAINOUS AREAS.  MINISTER OF FINANCE NGUYEN SINH HUNG 
ANNOUNCED IN PARTICULAR THAT INVESTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND 
INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER PROGRAM 135 IN 2003 WILL RISE TO 
BETWEEN 800 MILLION DONG (USD53,000) AND 1 BILLION DONG 
(USD67,000) IN EACH REMOTE COMMUNE IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS, UP 
FROM 500 MILLION DONG (USD33,000) IN 2002.  (ABOUT 2000 
COMMUNES AND VILLAGES IN CAO BANG AND BAC KAN PROVINCES, 
VISITED BY POL/C AND FSN NOVEMBER 19-22, ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER 
THIS PROGRAM, ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS AT THE ETHNIC 
MINORITIES COMMISSION, ALTHOUGH THESE PROVINCES HAVE ONLY 10 
AND 22 ONGOING PROJECTS, RESPECTIVELY.) 
 
¶3.  (U)  ARTICLE 36 OF THE VIETNAMESE CONSTITUTION NOT ONLY 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02885  01 OF 04  030745Z 
SPECIFIES "PRIORITY INVESTMENT TO EDUCATION" BUT ALSO 
RESERVES SPECIAL PRIORITY FOR "EDUCATIONAL WORK IN THE 
HIGHLANDS, IN REGIONS INHABITED BY NATIONAL MINORITIES, AND 
IN REGIONS ENCOUNTERING SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES."   ARTICLE 4 
ENSHRINES THE RIGHT FOR EVERY NATIONALITY TO "USE ITS OWN 
LANGUAGE AND SYSTEM OF WRITING," AS WELL AS "TO PRESERVE ITS 
NATIONAL IDENTIFY AND PROMOTE ITS FINE CUSTOMS, HABITS, 
TRADITIONS AND CULTURE."  IN PRINCIPLE, ACCORDING TO THE 
ETHNIC MINORITIES COMMISSION, EDUCATION AT THE ELEMENTARY- 
LEVEL SHOULD BE BOTH IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE AND VIETNAMESE, 
WHILE SWITCHING EXCLUSIVELY TO VIETNAMESE AT THE JUNIOR HIGH 
SCHOOL-LEVEL AND ABOVE. 
 
¶4.  (U)  THE SIXTH PLENUM OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF 
VIETNAM'S (CPV) 9TH CONGRESS IN SUMMER 2002 HIGHLIGHTED 
EDUCATION, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE "TRAINING OF ETHNIC 
MINORITY PERSONNEL" AND A REMINDER THAT "STUDENTS IN THE 
HIGHLANDS, REMOTE AND MOUNTAINOUS AREAS ARE ENTITLED TO 
RECEIVE FREE EDUCATION AND TRAINING AS WELL AS TEXTBOOKS." 
 
-------------------- 
OVERSIGHT FROM HANOI 
-------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U)  OFFICIALS FROM THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND 
TRAINING (MOET) DESCRIBED TO POL/C A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS, 
BEGINNING ESPECIALLY WITH 1991'S PROGRAM SEVEN, DESIGNED TO 
PROMOTE EDUCATION IN REMOTE AREAS AS WELL AS TO BRING MORE 
REMOTE STUDENTS INTO ACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS FOR HIGHER 
EDUCATION.  MAIN GOALS ARE FIRST TO ENSURE THAT ETHNIC 
MINORITY STUDENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM UNIVERSAL PRIMARY 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02885  01 OF 04  030745Z 
EDUCATION (MOET OFFICIALS ADMIT THAT, AS OF NOW, ONLY ABOUT 
80 PCT OF ETHNIC MINORITY ELEMENTARY-AGE STUDENTS ATTEND 
SCHOOL, DESPITE THE GVN'S CLAIM TO HAVE ACHIEVED UNIVERSAL 
PRIMARY EDUCATION ALREADY) AND LATER TO MEET THE GVN TARGET 
OF UNIVERSAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL (9TH GRADE) EDUCATION BY 
¶2010.  "BASICALLY, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT ETHNIC STUDENTS 
ARE ABLE TO STUDY TO JUST AS HIGH LEVELS AS KINH" STUDENTS, 
ACCORDING TO ONE OFFICIAL.  MOET'S VICE DIRECTOR FOR 
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION NOTED THAT THE GVN SOUGHT TO ENSURE 
"EQUALITY EDUCATION" FOR ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF ETHNIC 
BACKGROUND AND PROVINCE OF RESIDENCE.  OFFICIALS ADMIT THAT 
CHALLENGES INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE REMOTE LOCATIONS, 
DIFFICULTIES IN RECRUITING QUALIFIED TEACHERS, AND LANGUAGE 
BARRIERS, BUT ALSO THE REALITY THAT MANY MINORITY FAMILIES 
THEMSELVES HAVE YET TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF 
EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS. 
 
¶6.  (U)  TO PROMOTE HIGHER EDUCATION, BOARDING SCHOOLS AT 
THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH LEVEL LEVELS EXIST IN MOST 
PROVINCES WITH HIGH ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS (REF A); 
ACCORDING TO MOET, THERE ARE 109 ETHNIC HIGH SCHOOLS 
NATIONWIDE.  ETHNIC STUDENTS WHO ATTEND ALSO RECEIVE 
STIPENDS OF AT LEAST 60,000 DONG/MONTH (USD 4), AS WELL AS 
FREE ROOM AND BOARD AND TUITION.  THERE ARE EXTRA STIPENDS 
FOR THOSE WITH OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE.  ETHNIC MINORITY 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9214 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02885  02 OF 04  030745Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
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      DOEE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    ED-01    OIGO-00  FBIE-00 
      UTED-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      JUSE-00  L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02 
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PER-00   PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00 
      P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------11C5E3  030745Z /38 
R 030717Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8245 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 HANOI 002885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STUDENTS ALSO MAY STUDY TUITION-FREE AT UNIVERSITY IF THEY 
QUALIFY; MOET OFFICIALS SAID THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE GIVEN 
"PRIORITY IN TESTING," I.E., THEY CAN OFTEN QUALIFY WITH 
LOWER TEST RESULTS.  THERE ARE ALSO "SPECIAL COURSES" TO 
HELP THEM PREPARE BOTH FOR THE EXAMINATIONS AND FOR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02885  02 OF 04  030745Z 
UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM, ACCORDING TO MOET.  MOET'S HOPE, 
ACCORDING TO ITS STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICIALS, IS THAT ETHNIC 
MINORITY STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO THEIR HOME AREAS ONCE THEY 
HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL OR UNIVERSITY, IN MOST CASES 
TO BECOME LOCAL CADRES. 
 
¶7.  (U)  OFFICIALS AT THE ETHNIC MINORITIES COMMISSION NOTED 
THAT CAO BANG PROVINCE HAD THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ETHNIC 
MINORITY RESIDENTS -- 96.07 PCT OF THE POPULATION -- WHILE 
ANOTHER EIGHT PROVINCES HAD MORE THAN 50 PCT ETHNIC MINORITY 
POPULATIONS.  (ALL ARE IN THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, 
EXCEPT KON TUM IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, WHERE THE 
POPULATION IS 53.02 PCT ETHNIC MINORITIES). THEY CONFIRMED 
THAT ONLY ABOUT 80 PCT OF ELEMENTARY-AGE STUDENTS IN THESE 
TWO PROVINCES ATTEND SCHOOL SO FAR, WHILE CLAIMING THAT ALL 
VILLAGES IN CAO BANG AND BAC KAN NOW HAVE ELECTRICITY AND 
HEALTH CENTERS (AS IMPROBABLE AS THIS SOUNDS), WITH ABOUT 90 
PCT OF VILLAGES REACHABLE BY ROAD AND HAVING POST OFFICES. 
 
---------------------------------- 
ON THE GROUND REALITIES:  CAO BANG 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U)  ACCORDING TO CAO BANG PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN 
HOANG VAN KHOI, THE PROVINCE WAS "VERY CONCERNED" WITH 
EDUCATION, AND HAD REACHED UNIVERSAL ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN 
1979 (CONTRARY TO ASSERTIONS IN HANOI -- SEE ABOVE).  HE 
ADMITTED THAT ONLY ABOUT 37 PCT OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AGE 
RESIDENTS WERE IN SCHOOL AS OF 2002, HOWEVER.  HE DESCRIBED 
THE SYSTEM OF SIX BOARDING SCHOOLS -- FIVE AT THE JUNIOR 
HIGH SCHOOL-LEVEL AND ONE AT THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL-LEVEL  - 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02885  02 OF 04  030745Z 
- THAT PROVIDE FREE EDUCATION, ROOM, BOARD, BOOKS, 
NOTEBOOKS, AND OTHER SUPPLIES TO THEIR STUDENTS.  ABOUT 16 
PCT OF CAO BANG FAMILIES LIVE BELOW THE GVN POVERTY LEVEL, 
DOWN FROM 20 PCT IN 1999, VICE CHAIRMAN KHOI ASSERTED. 
 
¶9.  (U)  DESPITE CONSTITUTIONAL AND OTHER ADMONITIONS TO 
EMPLOY LOCAL LANGUAGES WHEN POSSIBLE, CAO BANG ONLY HAS 
"SOME" ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT OFFER THE DUAL LANGUAGE 
TRACK, KHOI (HIMSELF AN ETHNIC TAY) ADMITTED.  HE CLAIMED 
THAT CHILDREN COULD "LEARN THEIR LOCAL LANGUAGE AT HOME." 
TEACHERS WHO DO NOT COME FROM THE SAME LOCAL ETHNIC MINORITY 
ARE NOT GIVEN LANGUAGE TRAINING, BUT "PICK UP THE LOCAL 
LANGUAGE ON THEIR OWN," HE ADDED.  HE NOTED THAT MALE/FEMALE 
STUDENT RATIOS WERE ABOUT EVEN, AND CLAIMED THAT ATTITUDES 
TOWARD THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION DEPENDED LESS ON ETHNIC 
MINORITY THAN ON ECONOMIC/EDUCATIONAL STATUS: BETTER OFF, 
BETTER EDUCATED RESIDENTS OF ALL ETHNIC GROUPS TENDED BETTER 
TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN. 
 
¶10.  (U)  AS ELSEWHERE IN VIETNAM, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IS 
BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT IN CAO BANG.  VICE CHAIRMAN KHOI 
SAID THAT THE PROVINCE NOW HAS THREE VOCATIONAL TRAINING 
CENTERS -- TWO AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, AND ONE IN THE 
PROVINCIAL CAPITAL -- BUT ADDED THAT REGULAR SCHOOLS 
INCREASINGLY ALSO OFFERED CRAFT TRAINING SUCH AS CARPENTRY, 
SEWING, ELECTRICITY, ETC. 
 
¶11.  (U)  THE PRINCIPAL OF CAO BANG'S SENIOR HIGH-LEVEL 
BOARDING SCHOOL FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES DESCRIBED HIS MISSION 
AS "TRAINING CADRES," WITH HOPES THAT THEY WOULD RETURN TO 
THEIR HOME VILLAGES.  (A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PROVINCIAL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02885  02 OF 04  030745Z 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HASTENED TO CORRECT THE PRINCIPAL, 
HOWEVER, CLAIMING THAT THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO PROVIDE GENERAL 
EDUCATION AS WELL AS CADRE TRAINING; ONLY ABOUT 60 PCT OF 
THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES END UP AS CADRES, HE NOTED.) 
BEGINNING WITH ONLY 40 STUDENTS IN 1982, THE SCHOOL'S 
CURRENT 400 STUDENTS REPRESENT ALL EIGHT ETHNIC GROUPS FROM 
THE PROVINCE, PRIMARILY TAY, AND HAVE ABOUT A 50/50 
MALE/FEMALE RATIO.  TEACHERS ARE PREDOMINANTLY FEMALE, 
HOWEVER.  ABOUT 30 PCT GO ON TO STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY 
LEVEL, WITH ABOUT 5-7 PCT AT ONE OF THE THREE CENTRAL-LEVEL 
UNIVERSITIES.  "ALMOST ALL" STUDENTS EVENTUALLY RETURN TO 
THEIR HOME AREAS, HE CLAIMED, ALTHOUGH MANY MIGHT RATHER 
STAY IN THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL OR ANOTHER LARGER CITY BUT 
CANNOT FIND EMPLOYMENT. 
 
¶12.  (U)  THE CAO BANG SCHOOL BEGAN TEACHING ENGLISH IN 
1997, BUT STILL DOES NOT OFFER ANY COMPUTER TRAINING; THE 
ONLY COMPUTER IS IN THE MAIN SCHOOL OFFICE, THE PRINCIPAL 
ADMITTED.  HE NOTED THAT HE WAS "APPLYING" FOR MONEY TO 
OBTAIN 30-40 COMPUTERS AND HIRE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 
TEACHERS, WITH A "HOPE" OF ACHIEVING THIS GOAL IN 2003 OR 
¶2004.  (THE PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 
REPRESENTATIVE AT THE MEETING WAS NOTICEABLY SILENT 
REGARDING PROSPECTS FOR THIS REQUEST.)  HE NOTED THAT 
VOCATIONAL CLASSES AT THE SCHOOL WERE "MANDATORY" BUT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9218 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02885  03 OF 04  030746Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00  DODE-00 
      DOEE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    ED-01    OIGO-00  FBIE-00 
      UTED-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      JUSE-00  L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02 
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PER-00   PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00 
      P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------11C5EE  030746Z /38 
R 030717Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8246 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 HANOI 002885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STUDENTS COULD CHOOSE WHICH COURSE TO FOLLOW.  HE STRESSED 
THAT THERE WERE "NO SOCIAL PROBLEMS" AT THE SCHOOL DESPITE 
THE MIXING OF THE SEXES -- NO HIV/AIDS, NO PREMARITAL SEX, 
NO THEFT -- AND THAT ALL DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS GOT ALONG 
WELL.  GIRLS AND BOYS SLEPT IN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, WITH 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02885  03 OF 04  030746Z 
EVENING GUARDS AND CURFEWS.  DORMITORY ROOMS WERE BASIC, 
WITH 8-10 BEDS (BUNK-BED STYLE) AND NO DESKS OR CUPBOARDS. 
THREE MEALS A DAY ARE OFFERED IN A COMMON AREA AND WERE 
FREE, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE AT THE SCHOOL (INCLUDING AT LEAST 
ONE CHANGE OF CLOTHING PER YEAR).  STUDENTS ALSO RECEIVED 
FUNDS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME VILLAGES AT TET AND DURING THE 
SUMMER HOLIDAYS, HE ADDED. 
 
------------ 
POOR BAC KAN 
------------ 
 
¶13.  (U)  THE MAIN CLAIM TO FAME NOWADAYS OF BAC KAN, WHICH 
BECAME A SEPARATE PROVINCE ONLY IN 1997, IS AS THE HOMETOWN 
OF COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM GENERAL SECRETARY NONG DUC 
MANH.  ACCORDING TO PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN NONG VAN LENH, 
ABOUT 32 PCT OF BAC KAN FAMILIES STILL LIVE BELOW THE 
POVERTY LEVEL, ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO REDUCE 
THIS BY ABOUT 5 PCT PER YEAR.  SEPARATELY, THE DIRECTOR OF 
THE PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING NOTED 
THAT AT LEAST 19 PCT OF BAC KAN'S 74,00-PLUS STUDENTS 
SUFFERED FROM MALNUTRITION, DOWN FROM 40 PCT ONLY A FEW 
YEARS AGO.  (A USDA-FUNDED PROGRAM CARRIED OUT BY LAKE 
O'LAKES PROVIDES SOME WELCOME ASSISTANCE AT ABOUT 124 
SCHOOLS, BENEFITING OVER 40,000 STUDENTS.) 
 
¶14.  (U)  VICE CHAIRMAN LENH STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE THE 
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT PLACES ON EDUCATION, INCLUDING 4 
DISTRICT-LEVEL AND ONE PROVINCIAL-LEVEL BOARDING HIGH 
SCHOOLS (WITH A TOTAL OF 1,128 STUDENTS IN THE 2002-2003 
SCHOOL YEAR), AS WELL AS 828 STUDENTS IN FOUR DISTRICT-LEVEL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02885  03 OF 04  030746Z 
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.  TEACHERS ARE GIVEN SPECIAL PAY TO GO 
TO REMOTE AND MOUNTAINOUS AREAS (ABOUT 75 PCT BONUS FOR 
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, AND 40 PCT FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 
TEACHERS), HE NOTED.  HE CLAIMED THAT 99 PCT OF ELEMENTARY 
AGE STUDENTS WERE NOW IN SCHOOL (THE EDUCATION CHIEF 
SEPARATELY CLAIMED ONLY 97 PCT), WITH A PROVINCIAL GOAL OF 
UNIVERSAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BY 2005 (AHEAD OF 
THE NATIONAL GOAL). 
 
¶14.  (U)  VICE CHAIRMAN LENH ADMITTED THAT "BASICALLY, ALL 
EDUCATION WAS IN VIETNAMESE," WITH NO SPECIFIC PLANS TO USE 
LOCAL LANGUAGES.  MANY TEACHERS ONLY STAY IN REMOTE 
LOCATIONS FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS BEFORE ROTATING TO MORE 
DESIRABLE LOCATIONS, HE NOTED, CITING "NUMEROUS 
DIFFICULTIES."  HE POINTED TO SOME DIFFERENCES IN OUTLOOK, 
CLAIMING THAT "THOSE ETHNIC MINORITIES WHO HAVE MORE CONTACT 
WITH KINH SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION."  GIRLS IN BAC 
KAN ARE MORE APT TO STUDY LONGER THAN BOYS, HE ADDED, 
ALTHOUGH THE PRIMARY LIMITATIONS ON HIGHER EDUCATION ARE NOT 
ATTITUDINAL BUT RATHER RELATED TO DISTANCE AND ECONOMIC WELL- 
BEING. 
 
¶15.  (U)  THE PROVINCIAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR ADMITTED THAT 
FINDING QUALIFIED TEACHERS REMAINED A PERENNIAL PROBLEM, AS 
DO BUDGETARY LIMITATIONS.  ONLY ABOUT 35 SCHOOLS HAVE 
LIBRARIES, HE NOTED, WHILE "VERY FEW" HAVE ANY SORT OF 
COMPUTER TRAINING.  THERE IS ONLY ONE VOCATIONAL TRAINING 
CENTER IN THE PROVINCE (TRAINING BARBERS, MECHANICS, 
PHOTOGRAPHERS, ETC.), WITH "PLANS" TO SET UP "ONE OR TWO 
MORE" IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, HE ADDED. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02885  03 OF 04  030746Z 
¶16.  (U)  BAC KAN'S SOLE SENIOR HIGH BOARDING SCHOOL FOR 
ETHNIC MINORITIES, LOCATED ON THE SOMEWHAT DERELICT PREMISES 
OF THE PREVIOUS PROVINCIAL TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGE (WHICH 
HAS AN IMPRESSIVE NEW CAMPUS NEXT DOOR) NOW HAS 300 STUDENTS 
(OF WHOM 184 ARE GIRLS), ACCORDING TO ITS PRINCIPAL. 
SIMILAR TO HIS CAO BANG EQUIVALENT, THE PRINCIPAL DESCRIBED 
HIS GOAL AS "BUILDING ETHNIC CADRES," WITH 1039 GRADUATES 
SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1991.  ONLY ABOUT 50 PCT HAVE 
RETURNED TO WORK IN THEIR HOME VILLAGES, HE ADMITTED, 
ALTHOUGH ABOUT 90 PCT HAVE BECOME CADRES (PRESUMABLY, 
WORKING IN OTHER DISTRICTS OR AT THE PROVINCIAL-LEVEL).  AS 
AT OTHER SCHOOLS, THE GOVERNMENT COVERS ALL EXPENSES AND 
PAYS FOR THE TWO TRIPS HOME EACH YEAR PER STUDENT.  THERE 
ARE NO COMPUTERS, OR PLANS TO OBTAIN THEM IN THE FORESEEABLE 
FUTURE, HE ADDED, HOWEVER. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶17.  (U)  THE GVN IS CLEARLY DEVOTING SIGNIFICANT, AND 
INCREASING, RESOURCES TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES 
FOR ITS FAR-FLUNG ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS.  EQUALLY 
CLEAR IS THE COMMITMENT OF PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS 
TO CARRY OUT THESE PROGRAMS, HAMPERED BY VERY REAL AND STILL 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9219 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02885  04 OF 04  030746Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00  DODE-00 
      DOEE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    ED-01    OIGO-00  FBIE-00 
      UTED-00  VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00 
      JUSE-00  L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02 
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PER-00   PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00 
      P-00     SP-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------11C5F0  030746Z /38 
R 030717Z DEC 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8247 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 HANOI 002885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
UNRESOLVED BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS.  THE GVN'S COMMITMENT TO 
EQUALIZING THE PLAYING FIELD BETWEEN MINORITIES AND MAJORITY 
KINH IS NOT REFLECTED, HOWEVER, IN THE FAILURE TO PROVIDE ON 
A PRIORITY BASIS ITEMS SUCH AS BASIC COMPUTERS (IN CONTRAST 
TO REGULAR HIGH SCHOOLS VISITED ELSEWHERE ALONG THE COAST 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02885  04 OF 04  030746Z 
BETWEEN HO CHI MINH CITY AND HANOI -- SEE REF B) OR TO PUT 
GREATER EMPHASIS ON DUAL LANGUAGE EDUCATION. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED