[hepr-vn] Poverty robs ethnic girls of education

[Vern Weitzel]

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01POP010408

Poverty robs ethnic girls of education

(01-04-2008)

Ethnic minority girls in mountain provinces usually work at very early ages and 
have little chance to go to school. — VNS Photo Viet Thanh
HA NOI — Household poverty is the main obstacle to high quality education for 
ethnic minority girls, according to a new study conducted by the Ministry of 
Education and Training (MoET), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the UN 
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Multiple obstacles were cited, but poverty was the main barrier keeping Mong, 
Bahnar, J’rai and Khmer girls from a quality education, the report says.

Despite Viet Nam’s effort in improving access to education for every child, this 
access and participation are lagging among Viet Nam’s ethnic population, 
particularly for girls. And the reasons are various.

In a recent analysis of the 2004 Household Living Standards Survey (Lee, 2006), 
no difference exists in terms of male school enrolment between Kinh and ethnic 
minorities (73 per cent for both). However, there still is a substantial 
difference for female enrolment by ethnicity (73 per cent for Kinh and 61 per 
cent for ethnic minorities).

Though the rate of the nationwide primary education popularisation is 90 per 
cent, according to a UNICEF survey carried out in 2005, the rate is rather low 
in some areas, especially in Central Highlands provinces and northern 
mountainous areas, being at 43 per cent and 48 per cent respectively. Seventy 
per cent of dropouts are girls.

Barriers

The research found that economic and financial barriers are the most important 
factor influencing the dropout of female students during the transition from 
primary to secondary education.

"Poverty affects girls’ ability to attend school in various ways," said Jesper 
Morch, UNICEF Representative in Viet Nam.

Not being able to afford school supplies is an experience shared by girls across 
ethnic groups. Lack of food is another factor.

Lack of food becomes a barrier when girls from ethnic minority communities 
attempt to go to boarding schools. They often cannot afford to buy rice that is 
prepared at school.

"If the girls stay home or study close by the house, they can eat a finely 
ground maize dish with us," said a father of a Mong girl.

"But if (the girls) go to school, they need to take rice and we do not have 
rice, and we also don’t have enough money to afford it."

In addition, lack of clothes and poor study conditions at home also contributed 
to the hesitance of ethnic girls to go to school.

Child labour ranks as the second major barrier. The need to work is closely 
related to economic and financial hurdles. Girls often have to do more work at 
home than boys, which leads to poor performance at school.

"When harvest season comes, we don’t see any students coming to class," said a 
teacher from Ia Mo Nong Commune in Gia Lai Province.

"And when fruits from the forest are sold at high prices, the same thing 
happens; My students all go to sell the crops."

Another barrier for ethnic girls is that lessons are not usually taught in their 
native ethnic minority languages, but in the less familiar language of Vietnamese.

The study’s researchers said that based on classroom observations, ethnic 
minorities students generally speak very basic Vietnamese, the language of 
instruction at primary and secondary schools.

"Ethnic girls tend to know less Vietnamese than boys," said Ha Duc Da, head of 
MoET’s Administration Unit at the Research Centre for Ethnic Minority Education.

"Fathers participate more in social and communal activities where they are 
exposed to Vietnamese, while mothers take care of housework. Girls spend more 
time with their mother, thus have less opportunity to acquire Vietnamese at home."

Additionally, compared to boys, adolescent girls form all ethnic groups appear 
to be more sensitive to the lack of a child-friendly learning and teaching 
environment. Meanwhile, teachers tend to pay more attention to boys who find it 
easier to follow the lessons in Vietnamese, and teachers also sometimes focus on 
good and quick students, paying less attention to those who are slower in 
understanding or more timid, the report said.

All-inclusive

Thus, the improvement of education for ethnic girls must require a comprehensive 
approach.

"Quality education for ethnic girls calls for adoption of a multiple and 
context-specific educational approach," said Vibeke Jensen, UNESCO 
Representative in Viet Nam.

To help resolve these challenges, local community members suggested creating 
favourable conditions for girls to study in secondary schools.

While solutions differ between ethnic groups, key recommendations include 
assistance for households with direct education costs, as well as support at the 
school level for professional development of teachers, adapting curriculum and 
materials, bilingual education, gender training, improving school facilities, 
and provision of safe and friendly learning environments.

At the community level, the report proposes building community support for 
girls’ participation in school, creation of parents’ and girls’ clubs, as well 
as help with community infrastructure and economic development, micro-finance 
schemes, vocational education and financial support for girls and families. —VNS