Bringing ethnic minority languages into teaching - a new step in Son La education

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Bringing ethnic minority languages into teaching - a new step in Son La education .

The Department of Education and Training (DET) of Son La province has proactively and actively advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue many important documents, promptly orienting the tasks of teaching Thai and Mong ethnic languages at general education institutions and continuing education centers. Notably, Plan No. 299/KH-UBND dated December 27, 2022 on implementing the Program "Improving the quality of teaching ethnic minority languages in the general education program for the period 2021 - 2030" in the province, which clearly stipulates the responsibilities of departments, branches, district-level People's Committees, Departments of Education and Training, and school principals in surveying needs, arranging classes, preparing facilities, teaching staff, selecting textbooks and teaching materials. On that basis, the Department of Education and Training has directed the pilot implementation of teaching Thai and Mong languages in a number of primary, secondary and high schools, creating a basis for evaluation, experience drawing and expanding implementation in the period 2025 - 2030. At the same time, the Department also advised the Provincial People's Committee to recognize the Provincial Center for Continuing Education and Son La College as qualified to train, foster and grant certificates in Thai and Mong languages to cadres, civil servants, public employees and teachers according to the provisions of Circular No. 09/2023/TT-BGDDT dated April 18, 2023 of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating the organization of training, fostering and granting certificates in ethnic minority languages; issued annual guidance documents on ethnic education tasks, including specific content on teaching and learning ethnic minority languages; at the same time, directed the Departments of Education and Training to advise the People's Committees of districts and cities to develop teaching plans suitable to practical conditions. Along with that, the Department has coordinated with the province's media agencies to promote propaganda about policies and the significance of teaching ethnic minority languages, contributing to raising social awareness, creating consensus and positive response from parents and the community.

In the recent period, the teaching of ethnic minority languages in Son La has been implemented synchronously according to the programs and plans of the Central and the province. Educational institutions implement the general education program for Thai and Mong languages according to Circular No. 34/2020/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training on promulgating the general education program for Bahnar, Cham, Ede, Jrai, Khmer, Mong, Mnong, and Thai languages; specifying the goals and tasks according to Decision No. 142/QD-TTg dated January 27, 2022 of the Prime Minister on Approving the Program "Improving the quality of teaching ethnic minority languages in the general education program for the period 2021 - 2030" and Plan No. 299/KH-UBND dated December 27, 2022 of the Provincial People's Committee. 100% of schools in the area have received, thoroughly grasped, and implemented directive documents, organized surveys on students' needs for learning ethnic languages, and developed teaching plans suitable to actual conditions.

Regarding teaching materials, before the 2024-2025 school year, due to the lack of textbooks and official documents, teachers proactively compiled lesson plans based on the curriculum framework. From the 2024-2025 school year, for Thai language, schools will use the set of materials that have been taught experimentally in the locality and have been guided by the Department of Education and Training. To date, textbooks and teaching materials for ethnic minority languages at the primary level have been approved by the Ministry of Education and Training and are expected to be printed, published and delivered to the provinces by the end of 2025.

Currently, Son La province organizes the teaching of Thai and Mong, two ethnic languages that have written scripts, in a number of primary and secondary schools. The initial implementation scale is still limited: In the 2022-2023 school year, there were 3 schools with 562 students; in the 2023-2024 school year, there were 4 schools with 174 students; in the 2024-2025 school year, it expanded to 14 schools, 25 classes with 622 students learning Thai. In addition, many schools take advantage of the team of teachers who know ethnic languages to support ethnic minority students to integrate and learn Vietnamese well in parallel with learning their mother tongue. Schools use existing general education facilities and equipment, which basically meet the minimum requirements for organizing the teaching and learning of ethnic minority languages (separate classrooms, boards, projection equipment at central schools, etc.). The province currently has 44 teachers who have been certified/trained in teaching Thai and Mong languages; the Thai and Mong ethnic minority teachers teaching in public schools are a potential source of human resources for further training and supplementation.

Introducing ethnic minority languages into teaching not only contributes to preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups, but also helps students improve their communication skills and become more confident in their studies and life. In the coming time, Son La province will continue to expand the scale of teaching ethnic minority languages, associated with improving the quality of the teaching staff, ensuring facilities and teaching materials; at the same time, strengthening propaganda to create consensus among parents and the community. This is an important foundation for teaching ethnic minority languages to become increasingly in-depth, sustainable and promote practical effectiveness.

Nhu Thuy

Source: https://sonla.gov.vn/tin-van-hoa-xa-hoi/dua-tieng-dan-toc-thieu-so-vao-day-hoc-buoc-di-moi-trong-giao-duc-son-la-939074