The Hung Yen Department of Education and Training has reported that pre-schools are severely short of facilities, with some lacking playgrounds for children.

Chua Chuong Pre-school in the city centre is a prime example. The school has only two classrooms but no playground, and each room, accommodating 25 children, is only 8sq.m in area.

"It's quite difficult and inadequate here. We have no playground and it really effects the children. We don't know what to do," teacher Pham Thi Ha said.

Other neighbouring pre-schools in An Tao and Minh Khai wards are in the same situation, and those in suburban areas are even worse.

Nearly 20 children from nine classes in Bao Khe Commune's Pre-school usually have to study in the commune's cramped cultural houses.

Principal of the school Nguyen Thi Lan said that children are forced to have days off when the cultural houses are occupied, and only 70 per cent of local children attend kindergarten.

Hoang Thi Du, deputy director of the municipal Department of Education, said that there are 14 public pre-schools with 120 classrooms in the city. None of the city's pre-schools met national standards, with a shortage of playgrounds, teaching tools and toys.

There are also 13 substandard private schools in the city's residential areas, lacking lighting and playgrounds, she said.

According to Du, the facilities at elementary, secondary and high schools are quite good, and standards of pre-schools in other provincial districts are generally better than those in the city.

She added that the department has reported the situation to provincial authorities. /.