Viet Nam: MTBBE Action Research Project 11
Lao Cai province with Mong ethnic minority- 5 classes of Grade 2 in 3 primary schools- 5 classes of Grade 3 in 3 primary schools Total of Cohorts 1 and 2: 182 students
Gia Lai province with Jrai ethnic minority- 4 classes of Grade 2 in 3 primary schools- 4 classes of Grade 3 in 3 primary schools Total of Cohorts 1 and 2: 146 students
Tra Vinh province with Khmer ethnic minority- 5 classes of Grade 2 in 2 primary schools- 5 classes of Grade 3 in 2 primary schools Total of Cohorts 1 and 2: 166 students
© UNESCO Bangkok
Note: The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations
Viet Nam: MTBBE Action Research Project 11
Which language communities were part of this Action Research and where do they live?
The Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education( MTBBE) Action Research( AR) project was implemented in the Mong, J’ rai and Khmer communities of Viet Nam. The Mong people live in Lao Cai Province; the J’ rai live in Gia Lai Province; and the Khmer live in Tra Vinh Province.
What was the educational situation for children in these communities before the project began?
Viet Nam is a diverse society with 54 officially recognized ethnic groups, many of which have their own distinct language and live in remote and economically disadvantaged areas of the country. The total ethnic minority population is approximately 12.5 million, representing 14 percent of the total population of about 90.5 million. Vietnamese is the official and only language of instruction in schools. This has created a“ language barrier” for many ethnic minority children who have limited or, in some cases, no understanding of Vietnamese when they begin formal education.
Booklet for Case Studies
11 Ms. Joyce Patricia Bheeka, Chief Education Section, UNICEF Viet Nam, with her team, provided information for this section.
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