Instead of having students sitting in rows of tables to receive lectures from teachers, all the students at a private elementary school in the center of Saigon gather in small groups of 4-6 to discuss and learn from each other under the supervision of the teacher. The small group tables are designed for the students to face each other and not facing the traditional blackboards. … [Read more...] about Vietnamese schools to apply new teaching methods
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Partnership for Progress – Education Reform That Makes Sense
Yesterday's post on the growing number of Vietnamese students enrolled in American universities was both promising and inspiring. This is the right direction for Vietnam as it tries to modernize its economy and infrastructure. The burning question here is whether these figures correlate with the student's level of preparedness for the global market. It may be true that a … [Read more...] about Partnership for Progress – Education Reform That Makes Sense
Officials Jailed in an Adoption Scam
Sixteen health and charity officials in northern Nam Dinh province were tried for getting involved in an adoption scam. Six of them were sentenced to jail terms of two to five and a half years; the other ten were were on suspended sentences of fifteen to eighteen months. These officials were accused of receiving babies from mothers with unwanted pregnancies, assembling false … [Read more...] about Officials Jailed in an Adoption Scam
Typhoon Ketsana Devastates Philippines, Vietnam
Floods caused by Typhoon Ketsana have killed 246 people in the Philippines, and that number is expected to rise according to officials. The Typhoon has caused the heaviest rain in over 40 years in the Philippines and reaches wind speed of around 120km per hour. To put into perspective, Stephen Anderson, the United Nations World Food Program's country director in Manila, … [Read more...] about Typhoon Ketsana Devastates Philippines, Vietnam
Global Economic Crisis and Vietnam – A local perspective
Khanh sits and ponders. A slim girl with straight black hair and a fair complexion, she came to Saigon from Da Lat a few years back – right out of college. She came at a time when the economy was in a much better shape. With her degree in Computer Science, Khanh landed a job with decent pay from a software company. For Khanh and her peers, opportunities were everywhere. … [Read more...] about Global Economic Crisis and Vietnam – A local perspective