VietNamNet Bridge – Cities and provinces in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta have mobilised funds to build more kindergartens as they strive to eliminate old, dilapidated classrooms.

Cities and provinces in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta have mobilised funds to build more kindergartens as they strive to eliminate old, dilapidated classrooms.— Photo gdtd.vn

More than 4,000 kindergarten classes are in borrowed space in primary schools or basic structures built on local people's land, according to statistics released by education departments in the region.

They account for almost a third of the total number of kindergarten classes in the region.

Most of them have no electricity, clean water, toilets, or playgrounds.

Can Tho, the region's main city, needs 244 classrooms for kindergarten students.

Thirteen kindergartens in the city operate in borrowed space.

Five wards in the city do not have a single kindergarten.

Tran Trong Khiem, head of the city Department of Education and Training, said VND96 billion (US$4.6 million) from the State budget would be spent to build kindergartens.

The department also called on private individuals to build kindergartens to eradicate temporary and decrepit classrooms by 2015.

Hau Giang Province has 1,400 classrooms in dilapidated state and 101 built in borrowed space.

Seven communes in the province lack kindergartens.

Le Hong Tuoi, head of the province Department of Education and Training, said VND62 billion has been earmarked to build more schools, of which VND23.2 billion is from the State budget and the rest is from donations.

In Viet Nam, it is compulsory for people to send children aged five to school. But many provinces and cities lack schools for this and the country targets sending 95 per cent of five-year-olds to kindergartens by 2015.

Source: VNS