All education and training institutions with electricity in Vietnam have free access to the internet, said head of the Ministry of Education and Training's Information and Technology Department Quach Tuan Ngoc.
Ngoc made the statement on Dec. 18 at a conference in Hanoi where the ministry and the military-run telecom group Viettel reviewed their joint two-year internet connection for education programme.
"The result means that Vietnam is one of a few countries in the world where all schools have access to internet," Ngoc said.
He added that the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) had last month praised Vietnam 's IT developments in the education and training sector.
The country has come a long way since a report released in 2008 placed Vietnam alongside Laos , Cambodia and Myanmar in the group with the least developed IT sectors.
The joint programme launched by Ministry of Education and Training and Viettel in September 2008 has provided internet to nearly 29,600 education institutions nationwide. Of these, over 21,000 are now connected to broadband internet through leased line technology, ADSL and third generation technology.
Under the programme, Viettel has provided preferential internet and mobile services policies to teachers and students.
Ngoc said internet access had helped narrow the gap between urban and rural areas.
Director of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Dak Lak Phan Hong said the connection helped teachers improve their teaching method and required students to be more active learners.
Viettel deputy director Nguyen Manh Hung said the programme focused on kindergartens, primary, secondary and high schools and universities and management units.
The Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan said the sector should be more active and creative to further develop the programme.
"We hope that enterprises, organisations and individuals will continue to develop information and technology application in the sector," Luan said.
During the two-day conference, the ministry and Viettel signed an agreement in which they promised to continue implementing the programme.
The two sides will invest in equipment, e-books and e-learning.
It is estimated that over 25 million teachers and students have already accessed the internet./.
Ngoc made the statement on Dec. 18 at a conference in Hanoi where the ministry and the military-run telecom group Viettel reviewed their joint two-year internet connection for education programme.
"The result means that Vietnam is one of a few countries in the world where all schools have access to internet," Ngoc said.
He added that the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) had last month praised Vietnam 's IT developments in the education and training sector.
The country has come a long way since a report released in 2008 placed Vietnam alongside Laos , Cambodia and Myanmar in the group with the least developed IT sectors.
The joint programme launched by Ministry of Education and Training and Viettel in September 2008 has provided internet to nearly 29,600 education institutions nationwide. Of these, over 21,000 are now connected to broadband internet through leased line technology, ADSL and third generation technology.
Under the programme, Viettel has provided preferential internet and mobile services policies to teachers and students.
Ngoc said internet access had helped narrow the gap between urban and rural areas.
Director of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) province of Dak Lak Phan Hong said the connection helped teachers improve their teaching method and required students to be more active learners.
Viettel deputy director Nguyen Manh Hung said the programme focused on kindergartens, primary, secondary and high schools and universities and management units.
The Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan said the sector should be more active and creative to further develop the programme.
"We hope that enterprises, organisations and individuals will continue to develop information and technology application in the sector," Luan said.
During the two-day conference, the ministry and Viettel signed an agreement in which they promised to continue implementing the programme.
The two sides will invest in equipment, e-books and e-learning.
It is estimated that over 25 million teachers and students have already accessed the internet./.
