Phnom Penh (VNA) - A series of Cambodian media agencies have recently run articles emphasising Vietnam’s conservation efforts targeting the languages and scripts of ethnic minority groups, especially Khmer people in the Mekong Delta.
In an article on June 4, Koh Santepheap – a prestigious and long-standing daily newspaper in Cambodia – noted that the Vietnamese government’ relevant policies consider the conservation of ethnic groups’ cultural diversity to be essential for preserving the cultural identity of the nation and its people, as well as humanity's culture in general.
The article wrote that based on the government's guidelines, policies, and substantial investment resources, in recent years, localities with large ethnic minority populations in Vietnam have actively renewed teaching methods and upgraded their educational infrastructure, making significant contributions to the keeping of ethnic languages and scripts.
In an article on June 3, Looking Today, a news site of DAP News, introduced the teaching and learning activities of ethnic languages in Vietnamese localities with large Khmer ethnic populations.
It mentioned that there are approximately 1.2 million Khmer people in Vietnam, mainly residing in Delta provinces such as Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, An Giang, and Kien Giang.
The article provided statistics about Tra Vinh, where there are currently 125 schools teaching Khmer language for nearly 36,000 students. Tra Vinh University is the first and only university in Vietnam to offer majors related to the Khmer language, culture, and traditional arts. By 2025, the province aims to have all primary schools capable of teaching the ethnic language and 45% of Khmer language teachers meeting required training standards.
In an article on June 4 on its homepage, the national news agency of Cambodia AKP introduced the organisation of Khmer language teaching and learning activities in southern Vietnamese provinces and cities.
AKP said that alongside bilingual education in public schools, these localities also mobilise Theravada Khmer Buddhist pagodas to continue opening and maintaining free Khmer language classes for monks and children. Many also produce and broadcast Khmer language programmes on radio and television channels.
In conclusion, the agency affirmed that these activities have made significant contributions to the educational development, intellectual improvement, and traditional culture preservation of the Khmer ethnic community in particular and the Vietnamese people in general./.
