Day: October 6, 2021

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Vietnamese American jazz artist enthuses over music teaching

Having a work nominated for a Grammy Award, Vietnamese American jazz artist Julian-Quan Viet Le has an intense passion for teaching Vietnamese traditional music at his family’s music school.

Julian-Quan Viet Le and his sister were born to a family of traditional musicians residing in Milpitas city, California, the US. His parents are classically trained musicians in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) before 1975.

Since Julian was eight years old, his parent taught him how to play sao truc (bamboo flute) and dan bau (Vietnamese lute), so his musical works have a harmonious combination of Vietnamese traditional music with modern instruments.

Julian studied Jazz music at California University Los Angeles (UCLA). He also lived in Vietnam for more than a year, helping him have first-hand experience in the homeland.

In 2020, the musician and female artist Jhené Aiko co-produced, mixed and composed music for Chilombo – the album nominated for ‘Album of The Year’ at the 2021 GRAMMY Awards. This album claimed No.2 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Julian’s family set up a musical school called Pacific Music Association with the desire to teach Vietnamese traditional music to young people. The school became the inspiration for the artist’s musical pieces

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Vietnam hopes for Canada’s assistance in co-operative development: official

Vietnam wishes to continue to receive Canada’s sharing, cooperation, and consultation in the upcoming events to continue to develop and replicate successful co-operative models to more localities, said an official.

Phung Quoc Chi, head of the Cooperative Development Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, made the statement at an online workshop held on October 6. The workshop, which was co-organised by the agency and the Vietnam Co-operative Enterprise Development Project (VCEDP), discussed Canada’s experience on cooperative law.

Speaking at the event, Chi said the Canadian Government has joined many cooperation activities in promoting the collective economy and cooperatives movement in Vietnam for many years.

Via the VCEDP, Canada has helped Vietnam build many cooperative models that operate effectively following the nature and standards of the current modern ones recognised in the world, he noted.

Brian Allemekinders, head of Cooperation and Development at the Embassy of Canada in Vietnam, said the two nations share a long standing and close collaboration in socio-economic development, particularly the growth of the co-operative movement in Vietnam for improving farmers’ living standards and competitiveness.

Regarding the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s current responsibility for reviewing 10 years of implementation of Vietnam’s 2012 Law on Co-operatives and for proposing amendments and supplements to the law, he said the revision would create a strong foundation for co-operatives in the time to come.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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Vietnam plans to resume domestic tourism activities in October

A conference debating solutions and plans for resuming domestic tourism activities was held on October 5 by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Representatives from tourism management agencies of provinces and cities nationwide focused their discussions on measures to gradually recover tourism activities in line with a safe roadmap.

Accordingly, this month, provinces and cities began organising training courses on COVID-19 prevention and control regulations, processes in welcoming and serving tourists, criteria for safe tourism services, as well as preparations for incidents and risks.

From November, localities that have controlled the pandemic will start welcoming back domestic holiday-makers. They are required to strictly comply will regulations on vaccination against COVID-19 and testing.

A pilot plan on welcoming international tourists with vaccine passports to Phu Quoc island in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang will be implemented from October this year to March 2020. This scheme will prioritise key markets that have effectively controlled the COVID-19 pandemic, and had high vaccination coverage such as Northeast Asia, Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Australia.

By the end of 2021, Vietnam will welcome foreign tourists back to other destinations, including Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province, Hoi An ancient city in central Quang Nam province, Nha Trang in central Khanh Hoa province and Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

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New school programme focuses on students’ health

The 2021-25 National School Health Programme signed recently by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam focuses on promoting education, care, protection and management of students’ health.

The programme’s target is to ensure the comprehensive physical and mental development for children at preschools, special education schools, and students at primary and high schools.

The national programme has set goals for 80 percent of schools to have adequate medicines and equipment as regulated by the Ministry of Health, 75 percent of schools to provide enough drinking water and clean water for students’ activities.

It also sets targets for physical education and sports activities in schools.

According to the programme, 80 percent of schools will have at least one area to ensure necessary equipment and tools for physical education and sports activities as prescribed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

All schools will periodically organise sports competitions in accordance with the law on physical sports; 100 percent of primary and high schools have enough qualified physical teachers who were trained in professional skills.

Targets were set for school meals, ensuring proper nutrition for children, including 100 percent of schools organising lunch at canteens, ensuring hygiene and food safety according to regulations of the Ministry of Health.

Sixty percent of schools will have milk and dairy products in standard school meals according to regulations of the Ministry of Health.

School health education must also be a focus. According to the programme, 100 percent of students must be educated about health and improve knowledge about disease prevention and mental health.

Students must be taught about proper nutrition, healthy and safe food.

Fifty percent of high school students must receive information and counselling on mental health and psychology. Education on the care of children will also be expanded to include teachers, students and parents.

The 2021-25 National School Health Programme also clearly outlines the tasks and solutions for the future. One of the important solutions is to upgrade the healthcare facilities and equipment in schools.

Specifically, schools need to be equipped with medical equipment and medicine to ensure the effective implementation of school healthcare work, meeting the requirements of disease prevention and control especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In which, schools will install tables and chairs suitable for students’ height, especially children with disabilities; building or repairing clean water works, and sanitation facilities in schools.

The health and education sectors will also be working to strengthen their inspection of school healthcare including food safety, dental care, optical care and first aid capabilities.

For disadvantaged, remote and mountainous, ethnic minority areas, the Government will give priority and promote the improvement of medical equipment to ensure conditions for teaching and learning, and school meals.

Another major solution is to improve the quality of school health workers.

Many schools are struggling to overcome skills and infrastructure shortages to deliver quality student healthcare.

A principal of the Trung Hoa Kindergarten in Cau Giay district, Hanoi, admitted that private kindergartens do not have a room dedicated to health purposes. Sick students or those injured in accidents, are attended to by teachers administering basic medicines and liaising with parents.

Few private kindergartens had health rooms or simple health equipment so it will still be dangerous if students have serious illness.

According to the programme, schools are suggested to arrange full-time or part-time health staff, even if they are not on the school’s payroll, to carry out school health work in accordance with the specific conditions of each locality and each school.

In addition, schools need to renovate physical education and school sports activities, encourage the development of swimming, football and ethnic sports suitable to the characteristics of each region.

They will effectively deploy school sports activities suitable to students’ interests and ages, as well as organising school-level sports tournaments.

Funding will come from the State budget, and lawful revenue of schools, as well as support from domestic and social organisations and individuals

Source: Vietnam News Agency