Cold spell to hit northern provinces

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting yesterday warned that a cold spell would hit the northern provinces tomorrow morning.

The cold atmosphere will cause heavy downpours, beginning around tonight, Dec 17.

Most kids' vaccines produced domestically

Viet Nam can now produce 10 out 11 vaccines meant for children, according to the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation.

Photo: VNN

The 11 are provided free to children under various vaccination programmes launched by the Ministry of Health.

NGOs’ contributions to be honoured

The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and Vietnam Television (VTV) co-organized a ceremony in Hanoi on December 16 to honour non-governmental organizations’ contributions to Vietnam.

Addressing the ceremony, VUFO President Vu Xuan Hong said NGOs’ activities have contributed to strengthening the mutual understanding between partner countries and Vietnam, increasing funding for Vietnam and consolidating the friendship between Vietnam and donor nations.

The VUFO granted certificates of merit to 52 NGOs which have actively contributed to Vietnam’s poverty reduction and sustainable growth in 2012.

Over the past 20 years (1991-2012), Vietnam has established relations with 900 NGOs in the world and received more than US$3 billion in aid with annual disbursement rate of US300 million in recent times.

NGOs’ activities have expanded to 63 provinces and cities to help improve socio-economic growth, health care and education, overcome the consequences of war, and cope with climate change.

72 foreign NGOs are committed to providing more than US$153 million for Vietnam’s poverty reduction in 2013.

Bishops conclude meeting

The 10th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops closed yesterday, Dec 16, in HCM City's Notre Dame Cathedral after six days of conferences.

The assembly, which was held in Viet Nam for the very first time, opened on December 10 in Dong Nai Province's Xuan Loc Diocese.

Themed "Responding to the Challenge of Asia: The New Evangelisation" the Assembly was attended by 122 cardinals, archbishops, bishops and church representatives from Asia, Europe, Australia and the Vatican.

According to the Viet Nam Archbishop Committee, the assembly offered a chance for Catholics to exchange knowledge on geography, culture and society for better shares of Catholic missions and contributions to life.

The committee also took the chance to introduce the country and Vietnamese people to the captive audience.

The success of the grand Asian assembly in Vietnam demonstrated the place of Catholicism and the Viet Nam Archbishop Committee in the hearts of the people and nation.

ASEAN system better

Educators have urged higher-education institutes in Viet Nam to use the student assessment from the ASEAN University Network (AUN) to improve the quality of trainning.

Nguyen Hoi Nghia, deputy director of Viet Nam National University-HCM City (VNU-HCM), said the AUN student assessment would be useful.

The assessment procedures measure the achievement of the intended learning outcomes and other programme objectives.

Speaking at a national conference on assessment reform organised by Sai Gon University on Friday, Dec 14, in HCM City, Nguyen Thien Tong of HCM City University of Technology said that assessment had a profound effect on students' future career.

It is important to carry out assessment in a professional manner at all times and learn from research on testing and examination processes.

Tong said that current assessment methods used in Viet Nam did not inspire students to learn or study. They only study hard when they have to take final examinations.

He said that assessment procedures should be changed and that new reforms would lead to an improvement in teaching and learning outcomes.

The AUN procedures measure a student's progression towards achieving the knowledge and skills associated with their intended qualification.

The procedures also have clear regulations covering student absences, illnesses and other mitigating circumstances.
This assessment has helped several faculties at VNU-HCM to measure the effect of teaching and learning, according to Tong.

He said that students were stimulated to learn under such an assessment system.

At the conference, Nguyen Duy Mong Ha of HCM City Social Sciences and Humanity University said that education institutes should develop scoring rubrics and authentic assessment tools to measure students' work.

The assessment tool outlines marking criteria, and is used for marking assignments, class participation and overall grades.

Ha and her colleagues have used the scoring rubrics for students' presentations and assessment of team working skills. Improvement in students' learning had occurred, she added.

Students complete French degrees

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan has presented certificates to 15 students undertaking masters degrees under a Viet Nam-France Co-operation Programme.

The presentation ceremony at the University of Science and Technology of Ha Noi (USTH) was attended by French Ambassador to Viet Nam Jean Noel Poirier.

The university has sent around 100 students to study for their PhD in France, and a further 18 for their masters since it was established three years ago.

At present, there are almost 400 undergraduate and postgraduate students at the university. USTH president Pierre Sebban said 350 students had enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the 2012-2013 academic year, doubling the number of the previous year.

Students come from France, Nigeria, Laos, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

USTH was established under a 2009 intergovernmental agreement between Viet Nam and France.

It is the only university in Viet Nam applying the European system of credits and degrees.

Courses are taught in English by international lecturers.

3rd Int’l Symposium of Physics opens in Binh Dinh

Around 80 professors and doctors from large universities and research centres in 15 countries are gathering in south central province of Binh Dinh from December 17-22 for the 3rd International Symposium of Physics.

Prof. Tran Thanh Van, Chairman of the Scientific and Educational Organisation (Rencontres Du Vietnam) said two international workshops will be held on the occasion.

The first one is on the non-standard model of particle physics:  the extension of fermion and the second on the CP (Charge-Parity) violation and the movement of neutrino.

The event aims to promote effective cooperation between theoretic and experimental physicians to create a breakthrough in the field.

Singapore Airlines offers special fares

Singapore Airlines in collaboration with KOTO (Know One, Teach One) flew 20 disadvantaged youths to Singapore at fares discounted by 80 per cent on December 12-18 for their first fundraising activity in the Lion City.

Before departing for Singapore last Wednesday, the disadvantaged youths toured in-flight kitchen facilities, courtesy of Viet Nam Air Caterers to see how in-flight food is prepared from raw materials to uplift on the aircraft.

Established in 1999, KOTO is a not-for-profit vocational-training programme that changes the lives of Viet Nam's street and disadvantaged youths.

Cancer centre breaks ground

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended a ceremony yesterday to mark the start of construction on a cancer centre at Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City.

With a total investment of more than VND428 billion (US$20.3 million) and covering an area of 1,914sq m, the centre will include 14 floors, including two below ground level.

The 250-bed centre will be for the examination, diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from tumours and cancer.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dung applauded the efforts of hospital staff to treat patients across the country.

He said that building the centre reflected the guidelines and policies of the Vietnamese Party and State to develop the healthcare sector, in particular the examination and treatment of tumour and cancer patients.

Dung urged staff to improve their skills to meet healthcare demands. And the expectations of the Party and State.

He also asked the Ministry of Health to develop programmes that would improve infrastructure, medical equipment and the quality of specialists.

Government to fund Hue preservation

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a programme to preserve historical relics in the central city of Hue, according to the Hue Relics Preservation Center.

Under the project, VND800 billion (US$38.4 million) will be given to conserve and restore Hue's cultural relics through 2020.

Dengue fever rampant in central Khanh Hoa

The number of patients hospitalised with dengue fever had risen dramatically over the past few weeks in the southern central province of Khanh Hoa, according to the provincial Health Department.

On average, about 250 people were being hospitalised with the virus each week, said the department's deputy director Lam Quang Chinh.

The province has the highest rate of dengue patients in the central region at the moment.

In Khanh Hoa General Hospital's dengue fever treatment area, more beds have been bought in to accommodate the influx of patients.

Nguyen Dong, head of the hospital's Infection Ward, said they were working at more than double their capacity.
"Some patients have to lie in the corridor, making it difficult to treat them," Dong said.

The province has recorded more than 4,600 cases of dengue fever this year, and three people had died, according to statistics from the provincial Health Department.

Dong said that the number of cases had increased due to a lack of clean water. Local residents were forced to store water in buckets, and failed to destroy mosquito larvae.

Overcrowding is proving a problem in many local hospitals, particularly Ninh Hoa Town Hospital.

Director of the hospital Truong Phuoc An said the number of dengue fever patients was four times higher than the 30 beds available in the Infection Ward.

The hospital planned to set up tents and take advantage of other rooms in the hospital to treat dengue patients, he added.

To prevent the disease, the Khanh Hoa Department of Health has spread chemicals to kill mosquito larvae, and set up 10 mobile teams to supervise the situation.

The department is also trying to raise local people's awareness about the disease through the media.

Deputy PM urges HCM City to crack down on street crime

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has exhorted the HCM City government to crack down on street crime, especially during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays.

Meeting with the city People's Committee and Party Committee on Friday, he said the incidence of brazen robberies and other crimes remained high, causing people much anguish.

He criticised the city for failing to meet the target under a national programme for the prevention of crime and social evils and to be active in combating crimes.

Some officials and Party members remained unworried about the rising incidence of crimes, he said.

He also said the management of people completing drug detoxification treatments was not efficient.

Le Minh Tri, deputy chairman of the People's Committee, admitted there had been more than 10,000 crimes in the last two years, in which 312 people were killed and 1,049 others injured, and losses of over VND82 billion (US$3.9 million).

Though the number of crimes fell by 16.36 per cent in that period, the number of violent robberies increased, he said.
He wanted the Government to allow the HCM City police to buy equipment to combat crime.

Phuc said to improve the fight against crime, besides improving investigation, the city should encourage residents to actively take part in combating crimes and mobilise militiamen to co-operate with the police.

The city should strengthen patrols and set traps, improve co-ordination between police units in various districts, keep an eye on vulnerable areas, and begin a campaign against weapons, he said.

Information about fighting crime should be widely disseminated so that everyone can actively contribute, he said.

Gia Dinh University, ERC Institute link up

ERC Institute Viet Nam, a private educational institution, will become a long-term strategic investment partner of the Gia Dinh University, both sides announced at a press briefing last Friday.

Both institutions are located in HCM City.

Under a comprehensive co-operation agreement signed between the two parties, ERC will invest money in the Gia Dinh University and manage the latter's center for international training co-operation.

Thai Thanh Bay, standing deputy principal of the Gia Dinh University, said the co-operation would help increase training quality and enhance its national as well as regional prestige.

VNN/VOV/VNS