The Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Education and Training to implement the contents of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Son La province and 09 provinces of Lao PDR: Preside over and coordinate with relevant departments, branches, and units to advise the Provincial People's Committee to develop a Human Resource Training Plan with 09 provinces of Lao PDR for the period 2022 - 2024 according to the signed Memorandum of Cooperation, proactively advise the Provincial People's Committee to receive 02 training sessions of human resources for 09 provinces of Lao PDR (school year 2022 - 2023 and school year 2023 - 2024).

Implementing the direction of the Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committee of Son La province, based on the content of the minutes of the meeting between the high-level delegation of Son La province and the high-level delegation of 09 provinces of Lao PDR, based on the actual conditions of schools in Son La province, every year, the Department of Education and Training has coordinated with relevant departments and branches to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue documents directing the implementation such as: Issuing the Plan to enroll international students from Lao PDR to train at graduate, university, college, intermediate levels and train and foster Vietnamese language; issuing decisions approving the list of international students studying Vietnamese and majoring in their fields; documents directing and guiding the implementation of issues arising in relation to the training of international students; The Department of Education and Training has presided over and coordinated with relevant departments, branches and units to advise the Provincial People's Committee on a plan to train human resources for 09 provinces of the Lao PDR.

The training program and content for Lao students are implemented by schools according to the Circular of the Ministry of Education and Training promulgating regulations on the management of foreigners studying in Vietnam and the regulations on master's, university, college, and intermediate training of the Ministry of Education and Training. Before entering specialized studies at schools in the province, if Lao students do not know Vietnamese, they will take a 1-year preparatory course in Vietnamese at Son La College and Tay Bac University, granted a Vietnamese language certificate for foreigners. After that, the students are to study with Vietnamese students and trainees according to the specialization and training program at the registered level.

In 03 years (from January 2022 to March 31, 2025), Son La province has organized 07 reception sessions (05 official and 02 additional sessions) totaling 1,390 Laotian students. The number of students who have completed Vietnamese language training courses to enter specialized studies or have returned to work in the country for 3 years from 2022 to 2024 is 1,017 students; the number of students who have completed specialized training courses to continue studying at a higher level or have returned to work in the country is 678 students.

Laotian students studying at universities, colleges, and vocational schools in the province have been cared for and arranged to live in secure dormitories with filled, essential equipment to serve their living and studying needs; they have participated in self-management activities at the dormitory and actively participated in the movement to build a cultural lifestyle, art and sports competitions, seminars, cultural exchanges, volunteer activities, and celebrations, especially the celebrations of major holidays of the Lao ethnic people such as Bunpimay New Year, National Day December 2, etc. In addition, schools have created favorable conditions for international students to participate in collective activities with Vietnamese students to help them quickly integrate and access the training program.

Units responsible for training and fostering Lao students always ensure policies for Lao students according to the regulations in the resolutions of the People's Council of Son La province. Starting from January 1, 2024, the policies will be executive according to Resolution No. 71/2023/NQ-HDND dated December 8, 2023, of the People's Council of Son La province on support policies for international students (LHS) of the Lao PDR to study in Vietnam under the cooperation program with Son La province. All expenditure levels have been increased compared to the old resolutions, specifically in terms of content and expenditure levels as follows: Expenditure for Vietnamese language training institutions, intermediate schools, colleges, universities, and master's training is 15,000,000 VND/LHS/year; Support Laotian LHS students to learn Vietnamese before entering specialized courses: 3,160,000 VND/LHS/month; support Laotian LHS students to train at intermediate level: 3,080,000 VND/LHS/month; support Laotian LHS students to train at college and university level (including training in the form of articulation): 3,630,000 VND/LHS/month; support Laotian LHS students to train at master's level: 4,110,000 VND/LHS/month; support travel expenses for LHS students including 01 trip to and 01 trip back to Vietnam: 2,000,000 VND/LHS/trip (both going and returning: 4,000,000 VND/training course); Initial grant for Laotian students (Laotian LHS) (excluding master's degree and joint training programs) with a maximum cost of 3,000,000 VND/LHS (granted only once for the entire course); financial support for training institutions to extend visas for LHS in regular training (maximum) 1,000,000 VND/LHS/year; support for incentive scholarships for Laotian LHS with high academic achievements based on academic results, from 500,000 VND to 2,000,000 VND/LHS/semester; support for tuition fees for self-funded LHS from 12,000,000 VND/year to 13,200,000 VND/year (based on each school year). The self-funded Laotian students with good academic performance transferred to get the provincial budget.

Nhu Thuy

Translated by Tuan Minh Dang