The Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh has spent over VND 2 billion (USD 88,000) each year to support the teaching and studying of the language of the Khmer ethnic minority group in 134 Khmer pagodas across the locality in the 2010-2017 period.

According to the provincial Department of Education and Training, the investment is part of the province’s efforts to realise the Government’s Decree 82/2010/ND-CP dated July 15^th, 2010 on policies on teaching and studying of languages of ethnic minority groups.

Pagodas in Tra Vinh welcome about 2,000 school students who come to learn to read and write Khmer language in every summer. Nearly 200 teachers and monks are now paid to teach the students.

Tra Vinh currently has 8 boarding schools for ethnic students, along with 121 primary and secondary schools and 8 Pali-Khmer schools that teach Khmer language with about total 19,000 students.

The province has delivered 123,000 textbooks to students at total cost of VND 1.5 billion (USD 66,000), while presenting 7,700 scholarships to ethnic students.

Tra Vinh has sent 307 students to educational facilities for training, while focusing on improving capacity of management officials.

The locality now has 2,200 Khmer officials and teachers, of whom 126 are taking post-graduate courses./.

VNF/VNA