More than 100 children drowned in Vietnam during the first two months ofthis year, a 6 percent increase compared with the same period lastyear, according to incomplete statistics compiled by the Childcare andProtection Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs.
A number of separate incidents havecontributed to this unfortunate statistic, many of them involvingstudents who lost their footing or were swept away while swimming insea, river or pond waters in provinces throughout the country.
Deputy Director of the Department of Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs of central Phu Yen province Pham Thi Tuong Lai said hot weatherand a lack of attention by families and schools had led to theincidents.
She suggested adding swimming to the physical education curriculum to give students water defence skills.
"However, schools said they didn't have enough teachers or time to add another subject to the school schedule," she said.
Last week, the department joined hands with the provincial Departmentof Education and Training to send a document to local schools callingfor co-ordination between families, schools and relevant agencies inmanaging students, especially now that summer was coming, she said.
"However, most parents were not protecting their children from therisk of drowning despite dissemination of information from authorities,"said Lai.
Some children's centres in Tuy Hoa cityhave opened swimming courses but few children have registered for thecourses and among those that did register, some quit after only two orthree sessions, she added.
Meanwhile, deputydirector of the Childcare and Protection Department Nguyen Trong Anblamed carelessness among adults for the increased number of childdrownings.
Moreover, administrative punishments inthe childcare and protection sector related to water safety were too lowto be effective, he said. The highest level was 4 million VND (190USD).
An said the National Prog-ramme on PreventingChild Injuries and Accidents approved last year made it compulsory forchildren in coastal provinces to be given swimming courses and lifejackets.
However, he said the most important way ofpreventing child drowning was for parents to take better care of theirchildren, especially those under-five.
Constructionsites and local authorities should raise their awareness of potentialhazards and build barriers around ponds and dangerous areas to protectchildren, he added.-VNA
A number of separate incidents havecontributed to this unfortunate statistic, many of them involvingstudents who lost their footing or were swept away while swimming insea, river or pond waters in provinces throughout the country.
Deputy Director of the Department of Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs of central Phu Yen province Pham Thi Tuong Lai said hot weatherand a lack of attention by families and schools had led to theincidents.
She suggested adding swimming to the physical education curriculum to give students water defence skills.
"However, schools said they didn't have enough teachers or time to add another subject to the school schedule," she said.
Last week, the department joined hands with the provincial Departmentof Education and Training to send a document to local schools callingfor co-ordination between families, schools and relevant agencies inmanaging students, especially now that summer was coming, she said.
"However, most parents were not protecting their children from therisk of drowning despite dissemination of information from authorities,"said Lai.
Some children's centres in Tuy Hoa cityhave opened swimming courses but few children have registered for thecourses and among those that did register, some quit after only two orthree sessions, she added.
Meanwhile, deputydirector of the Childcare and Protection Department Nguyen Trong Anblamed carelessness among adults for the increased number of childdrownings.
Moreover, administrative punishments inthe childcare and protection sector related to water safety were too lowto be effective, he said. The highest level was 4 million VND (190USD).
An said the National Prog-ramme on PreventingChild Injuries and Accidents approved last year made it compulsory forchildren in coastal provinces to be given swimming courses and lifejackets.
However, he said the most important way ofpreventing child drowning was for parents to take better care of theirchildren, especially those under-five.
Constructionsites and local authorities should raise their awareness of potentialhazards and build barriers around ponds and dangerous areas to protectchildren, he added.-VNA
