Vietnam Lawmaker Asks Ministry to Explain Use of $16M Loan in Education

Regarding the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET)’s loan of $16 million from the World Bank (WB) for compilation of new textbook and the MoET’s latter transfer of such tasks to non-ministry-run writers, lawmaker Ngo Thi Minh asked the MoET to give detailed explanation to the National Assembly (NA), Vietnam’s highest legislative body. Ms. Minh, vice head of the NA’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children, suggested the MoET make a report on the issue by the next (ninth) meeting of the NA in May 2020. She also asked the MoET to initially explain details of this issue, especially the progress and cost, to the NA’s Standing Committee. Earlier, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, head of the Renovation of General Education Project (RGEP), clarified that parts of the $16 million loan were spent on compilation of documents and training for textbook composers. Besides, the initial project includes $4.5 million for purchase of textbooks for needy learners. The loan is part of the RGEP worth $80 million, including $77 million from the WB. Mr. Thanh also clarified that such use of the loan had the consent of the WB. Some MoET official said that diverting resources for different purposes is normal, as long as transparency is maintained. (Lao Dong, VietStock, VietnamBiz, VietnamNet, Giao Duc Thoi Dai, VietStock)