The Department of Student Activities has asked teachers to keep a close watch on students in danger of dropping out of school after Lunar New Year Festival, which falls on early February this year.
Every year as many as 30 per cent of students across the country drop out of school at this time, the start of Spring, according to Nguyen Dinh Manh, deputy director of the Ministry of Education and Training's Department of Students Activities.
"Our policy is not to let students leave schools because they lack money or books," he said.
Schools with poor students must report to district departments so that support can be given in the form of school fees, books or free lunches.
"If district authorities do not have enough funds, they can ask the Department of Students Activities for support," said Manh, adding that People's Committees in wards have the responsibility of getting students back to class.
"If students get bad marks in the first term, school managing boards can consider letting them do the test again," he said.
Manh added that local authorities could also arrange for some students to continue their studies in vocational training schools.
Educational experts say that the number of students dropping out of schools generally increases after Lunar New Year Festival.
By the end of November, more than 7 percent of students nationwide had already left.
The provinces with most dropouts include Long An, An Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu.
"In the North, Thanh Hoa province has the highest number of students dropping out of schools," said Manh.
Last school year more than 1,000 of students in the province left after Tet.
Nguyen Tai Hiep, principal of the Cam Ba Thuoc High School in Thuong Xuan district in Thanh Hoa, said that last school year, 130 students in his school dropped out after the first term.
"They were from poor, remote communes and found it beyond their means to rent accommodation," he said.
Hiep said some students also found it difficult to learn – 9th, 10th or 11th graders who wanted to find jobs and earn money to help their parents.
"This school year, families in central provinces have little money after the storms destroyed their livelihoods and found it difficult to pay for schooling” he said./.
Every year as many as 30 per cent of students across the country drop out of school at this time, the start of Spring, according to Nguyen Dinh Manh, deputy director of the Ministry of Education and Training's Department of Students Activities.
"Our policy is not to let students leave schools because they lack money or books," he said.
Schools with poor students must report to district departments so that support can be given in the form of school fees, books or free lunches.
"If district authorities do not have enough funds, they can ask the Department of Students Activities for support," said Manh, adding that People's Committees in wards have the responsibility of getting students back to class.
"If students get bad marks in the first term, school managing boards can consider letting them do the test again," he said.
Manh added that local authorities could also arrange for some students to continue their studies in vocational training schools.
Educational experts say that the number of students dropping out of schools generally increases after Lunar New Year Festival.
By the end of November, more than 7 percent of students nationwide had already left.
The provinces with most dropouts include Long An, An Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu.
"In the North, Thanh Hoa province has the highest number of students dropping out of schools," said Manh.
Last school year more than 1,000 of students in the province left after Tet.
Nguyen Tai Hiep, principal of the Cam Ba Thuoc High School in Thuong Xuan district in Thanh Hoa, said that last school year, 130 students in his school dropped out after the first term.
"They were from poor, remote communes and found it beyond their means to rent accommodation," he said.
Hiep said some students also found it difficult to learn – 9th, 10th or 11th graders who wanted to find jobs and earn money to help their parents.
"This school year, families in central provinces have little money after the storms destroyed their livelihoods and found it difficult to pay for schooling” he said./.
