US embassy cable - 01HANOI3302

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 003302 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
STATE PASS USAID ANE/ AFERRARA 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, SOCI, VM, ETMIN 
SUBJECT:  THE ROLE OF BOARDING SCHOOLS IN MINORITY INTEGRATION 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  BOARDING SCHOOL EDUCATION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT 
ROLE IN THE EFFORTS OF PHU THO AND TUYEN QUANG PROVINCES IN 
NORTHERN VIETNAM TO INTEGRATE THEIR ETHNIC MINORITY 
POPULATIONS.  THE GVN SET UP BOARDING SCHOOLS NOT ONLY FOR 
INTEGRATION, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEY ARE MUCH CHEAPER TO BUILD 
AND STAFF THAN THE ALTERNATIVE OF SETTING UP LOCAL SCHOOLS 
IN REMOTE VILLAGES.  THE BOARDING SCHOOLS BRING SELECTED 
ETHNIC MINORITY STUDENTS TO MORE CENTRAL, BUT STILL SOMEWHAT 
ISOLATED LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.  THERE, IN 
THE VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE, STUDENTS RECEIVE A RELATIVELY GOOD 
EDUCATION AND EXPOSURE TO A DAILY PROGRAM THAT IS 
CONSIDERABLY MORE INTENSIVE AND STRUCTURED THAN IS TYPICAL 
FOR VIETNAMESE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.  GRADUATES OF THE 
SCHOOLS HAVE BECOME, AMONG OTHER THINGS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, 
PHYSICIANS, AND TEACHERS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
WHY BOARDING SCHOOLS? 
--------------------- 
 
2.  DURING AN OFFICIAL TRIP TO THE NORTHERN PROVINCES OF PHU 
THO AND TUYEN QUANG PROVINCES NOVEMBER 27-29, POLOFF AND POL 
FSN VISITED TWO BOARDING HIGH SCHOOLS FOR ETHNIC MINORITY 
STUDENTS.  PROVINCES WITH SIGNIFICANT MINORITY POPULATIONS 
THROUGHOUT VIETNAM HAVE ESTABLISHED SECONDARY LEVEL BOARDING 
SCHOOLS FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES.  VARIOUS OFFICIALS STRESSED 
THAT MANY OF THE STUDENTS ATTENDING THE BOARDING SCHOOLS ARE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  03302  01 OF 03  210733Z 
FROM VILLAGES THAT CAN ONLY BE REACHED ON FOOT AND THAT 
OFTEN DO NOT HAVE LOCAL SCHOOLS OR BASIC UTILITIES. 
PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ALSO DISCUSSED THE DIFFICULTY OF 
GETTING TEACHERS TO WORK IN REMOTE SCHOOLS.  FEW ETHNIC 
MAJORITY KINH TEACHERS ARE WILLING TO WORK IN THE MOUNTAINS 
AND THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS FROM ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS IS 
VERY SMALL, THEY ADDED. 
 
WHY GO TO A BOARDING SCHOOL? 
---------------------------- 
 
3.  SCHOOL AND PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO 
THE GREAT COMPETITION TO ATTEND THESE BOARDING SCHOOLS. 
THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE BOARDING SCHOOLS OFFER SEVERAL 
ADVANTAGES.  FOREMOST, THEY SAID, IS THAT THE BOARDING 
SCHOOLS MAY BE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY THESE STUDENTS HAVE TO 
ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL AT ALL.  MOREOVER, SCHOOL OFFICIALS 
CLAIMED THAT THE BOARDING SCHOOLS PROVIDE A BETTER EDUCATION 
THAN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT TOWNS, THE OTHER 
OPTION FOR SOME OF THESE STUDENTS.  PROVINCIAL AND SCHOOL 
OFFICIALS ALSO EXPLAINED THAT ALLOWANCES PAID OUT OF THE 
NATIONAL BUDGET PAY FOR TEXTBOOKS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, BEDDING, 
MOSQUITO NETS, AND CLOTHING.  FURTHERMORE, THE SCHOOLS 
RECEIVE AN ALLOWANCE OF VIETNAM DONG 120,000 PER STUDENT PER 
MONTH, PRIMARILY FOR FOOD.  THE STUDENTS, SCHOOL OFFICIALS 
SAID, MAY USE ANY LEFTOVER AMOUNT FOR DISCRETIONARY 
SPENDING.  FINALLY, OFFICIALS ADDED, ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE AN 
ALLOTMENT TO COVER THE COST OF TRAVELING TO AND FROM THEIR 
HOME COMMUNITIES TWICE A YEAR.  OFFICIALS NOTED THAT, SINCE 
MANY OF THESE STUDENTS ARE FROM VERY POOR FAMILIES, THERE 
WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO ATTEND SCHOOL WITHOUT THESE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  03302  01 OF 03  210733Z 
SUBSIDIES. 
 
HOW DO YOU GET IN? 
------------------ 
 
4.  SCHOOL OFFICIALS EXPLAINED HOW STUDENTS WERE CHOSEN TO 
ATTEND THE BOARDING SCHOOLS.  THE PHU THO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 
HEADMASTER SAID THAT HIS STUDENTS WERE ALL GRADUATES OF THE 
PROVINCE'S BASIC SECONDARY LEVEL (JUNIOR HIGH) BOARDING 
SCHOOL WHO HAD PASSED AN ENTRANCE EXAMINATION.  HE ADDED 
THAT COMMUNE-LEVEL OFFICIALS CHOSE BASIC SECONDARY BOARDING 
SCHOOL STUDENTS BASED ON THEIR "POTENTIAL."  TUYEN QUANG 
OFFICIALS SAID THAT ALL OF THEIR STUDENTS WERE CHOSEN BY 
EXAMINATION; 70 PERCENT OF THE INCOMING STUDENTS ARE FROM 
THE PROVINCE'S THREE BASIC SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOLS AND 30 
PERCENT FROM THE REST OF THE PROVINCE'S BASIC SECONDARY 
SCHOOLS.  PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS REMARKED THAT COMPETITION TO 
GET INTO THE SCHOOLS IS VERY KEEN. 
 
EDUCATION IN THE BOARDING SCHOOLS 
--------------------------------- 
 
5.  OFFICIALS SAID THE BOARDING SCHOOLS USE THE STANDARD 
NATIONAL CURRICULUM AS WELL AS A PROGRAM OF EXTRACURRICULAR 
ACTIVITIES DEFINED BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.  TEACHERS, 
ACCORDING TO HEADMASTERS, SUPERVISE STUDY AND 
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WITH A DAILY SCHEDULE OF ACADEMIC 
CLASSES IN THE MORNING AND SUPERVISED STUDY, PRACTICUMS, 
SPORTS, AND CIVICS AND SOCIALIZATION ACTIVITIES IN THE 
AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS.  OFFICIALS AT BOTH SCHOOLS ADMITTED 
THAT THEY DO NOT ADD OR CHANGE ANY ACTIVITIES BASED ON LOCAL 
CONDITIONS, NOR DID THEY EMPHASIZE THE STUDENTS' VARIOUS 
CULTURAL HERITAGES.  THEY HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF 
STUDENTS' PARTICIPATION IN SOCIALIZATION AND CIVICS 
ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO "INTEGRATE THEM INTO THE NATION."  IN 
RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT'S RECENT 
DIRECTIVE TO USE LOCAL LANGUAGES IN SCHOOLS, TUYEN QUANG'S 
PROVINCIAL EDUCATION CHIEF SAID THAT VIETNAMESE HAD BEEN THE 
SOLE MEANS OF INSTRUCTION IN ALL OF THE PROVINCE'S SCHOOLS 
SINCE THE 1970'S AND THAT THERE WERE NO PLANS TO USE 
MINORITY LANGUAGES AGAIN. 
 
THE RESULTS 
----------- 
 
6.  SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAID THAT THEIR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO 
GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO CAN HELP THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THAT 
THEIR YARDSTICK IS THE NUMBER WHO GET INTO COLLEGE.  THE 
HEADMASTER CLAIMED THAT ALMOST HALF OF TUYEN QUANG'S 
GRADUATES HAD GONE ON FOR FURTHER TRAINING AFTER THE SPRING 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  03302  02 OF 03  210734Z 
2001 GRADUATION, WHEREAS HIS OPPOSITE NUMBER IN PHU THO 
CLAIMED THAT ABOUT ONLY 15 PERCENT OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL 
GRADUATES CONTINUED THEIR EDUCATION.  WHILE THE PHU THO 
BOARDING HIGH SCHOOL HAD ONLY OPENED IN 1997, THE TUYEN 
QUANG OFFICIALS NOTED THAT THEIR SCHOOL HAD BEEN OPEN SINCE 
1959 AND THAT ITS CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF 4,465 GRADUATES NOW 
INCLUDED ALMOST 50 MEDICAL DOCTORS AND DOCTORATE DEGREE 
HOLDERS, SEVERAL PROVINCIAL PEOPLE COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND 
VICE-CHAIRMEN, HEADS OF THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, 
AND MANY OF THE SCHOOLS' CURRENT TEACHERS.  (NOTE:  ETHNIC 
MINORITIES MAKE UP ABOUT HALF OF TUYEN QUANG'S POPULATION 
AND THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND VICE- 
CHAIRMAN, THE PROVINCIAL EDUCATION CHIEF, AND A NUMBER OF 
OTHER PROVINCIAL LEADERS ARE MEMBERS OF MINORITY GROUPS. 
MINORITIES COMPRISE ABOUT 2.5 PERCENT OF PHU THO'S 
POPULATION.  END NOTE.)   OFFICIALS SAID THAT GRADUATES WHO 
DID NOT GO ON TO COLLEGE GENERALLY RETURNED TO AND WORKED IN 
THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. 
 
LIFE AT THE SCHOOLS 
------------------- 
 
7.  STUDENTS STAY AT THE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC 
YEAR, ACCORDING TO SCHOOL OFFICIALS.  MOST ONLY RETURN HOME 
DURING SUMMER VACATION AND AT TET, BECAUSE, THE HEADMASTERS 
SAID, IT IS TOO TIME CONSUMING AND TOO EXPENSIVE TO GO HOME 
MORE FREQUENTLY.  LIKEWISE, PARENTS VERY SELDOM VISIT.  THE 
TEACHERS LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE SCHOOLS AND 
RECEIVE 30 PERCENT INCENTIVE PAY FOR TEACHING AT A BOARDING 
SCHOOL, ACCORDING TO THE TUYEN QUANG SCHOOL HEADMASTER; 
OTHER STAFF MEMBERS LIVE IN THE SCHOOLS WITH THE STUDENTS. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  03302  02 OF 03  210734Z 
THE TUYEN QUANG HEADMASTER REMARKED THAT TEACHERS BECOME 
SURROGATE PARENTS FOR THE STUDENTS.  SCHOOL AND PROVINCIAL 
OFFICIALS EMPHASIZED THAT STUDENTS PRODUCE MUCH OF THEIR OWN 
FOOD, BOTH TO MAKE THEIR MONTHLY ALLOWANCES GO FARTHER AND 
TO PUT THEIR AGRICULTURE CLASSES INTO PRACTICE. 
 
8.  BOTH SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED 7 TO 10 KILOMETERS FROM THE 
NEAREST DISTRICT TOWN ON SELF-CONTAINED CAMPUSES.  SCHOOL 
OFFICIALS SAID THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE 
CAMPUS.  PHU THO OFFICIALS SAID THEIR FACILITY USED TO BE A 
COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS FROM LAOS.  AT BOTH SCHOOLS, EIGHT TO 
TEN STUDENTS SHARED ONE DORMITORY ROOM, DOUBLING UP ON BUNK 
BEDS.  THE EACH STUDENT HAD WOODEN LOCKER AND SOME ROOMS 
WERE DECORATED WITH POSTERS.  ON THE DAY OF POLOFF'S VISIT, 
MOST STUDENTS IN THE TUYEN QUANG BOARDING SCHOOL APPEARED TO 
BE DRESSED IN TRADITIONAL CLOTHING OF THEIR VARIOUS ETHNIC 
GROUPS.  THEY ALSO CARRIED LENGTHS OF BAMBOO, DESCRIBED BY 
ONE OFFICIAL AS "RIFLES" SINCE THE STUDENTS WERE IN MILITARY 
TRAINING THAT WEEK.  STUDENTS AT THE PHU THO BOARDING SCHOOL 
WERE CASUALLY DRESSED DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HOUR OF 
POLOFF'S VISIT. 
 
9.  COMMENT:  THE BOARDING SCHOOLS REPRESENT A GOOD 
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MINORITY STUDENTS AND PROVIDE 
THE GVN A MEANS TO BOND THEM MORE CLOSELY TO THE CENTER. 
THE GVN PAYS FOR NEARLY ALL OF THEIR EXPENSES AND ITS 
EMPLOYEES BECOME THEIR SURROGATE PARENTS.  IF THE INTENTION 
IS TO PRODUCE LOYAL AND INVOLVED CITIZENS, THEN THE APPARENT 
HEAVY REPRESENTATION OF BOARDING SCHOOL ALUMNI IN THE RANKS 
OF TUYEN QUANG'S PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP SUGGESTS SUCCESS.  IT 
IS LESS CLEAR, HOWEVER, WHAT CONTRIBUTION THESE SCHOOLS MAKE 
IN PROMOTING OR MAINTAINING TRADITIONAL MINORITY CULTURES, 
OR IN ENSURING THAT THE INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION PAYS OFF FOR 
THEIR OWN MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED