(VOVworld) - One of the most decisive factors in socio-economic development and sustainable poverty reduction for ethnic minority and mountainous regions is human resources. The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs in coordination with the UN Development Program (UNDP) held a forum on human resource development for ethnic minority and mountainous areas until 2020. Reporter Ngoc Anh reviews some major opinions.
Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups including 51 minority groups, which account for over 14% of the population. They cluster mainly in the northern mountains, central, central highlands, and southwestern regions. These ethnic minority groups have recorded steady growth on a par with national development through Party and government programs that provide land for production and housing, fresh water for poor households, socio-economic development assistance for especially poor communes in remote, mountainous areas, rapid and sustainable poverty reduction for the nation’s 62 poorest communes, and accelerated rural development.
But some the ethnic minority groups are finding it impossible to keep up with the rapid changes of the market economy. The root of the problem is poor education and inadequate labor training
The Party and government consider human resource development a priority in Vietnam’s ethnic minority policy. The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs has compiled a comprehensive human resources development strategy, which focuses on education and training. The Committee will build an Academy to train ethnic minority students and cadres. President of the National Assembly’s Ethnic Minority Council, K’Sor Phuoc, spoke at the event: “The socio-economic development planning for localities and regions should consist of human resource planning. Regarding the educational system, planning should be made from nursery to high schools, specialized schools, vocational training centers, colleges and universities. It’s necessary to ensure quality and quantity of labor and job structure, while priority given to training of ethnic talents.”
In addition to government policy and investment, individual ethnic minority localities should promote their internal strength. They should estimate the human resources demand, review and adjust human resources planning until 2015 and vision to 2020, improve the vocational training network, offer incentives in terms of salary, benefits, and promotion opportunities to attract competent people. Phan Van Hung, Vice Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs elaborates: “Investment in human resources development is for future sustainable development. Each ethnic group should train their talented people to lead their groups. Young competent ethnic people should be trained abroad.”
Le Thi Thanh Huyen, an official of the UN Development Program says: “The policy should be designed for each locality and ethnic minority group. The government should establish a higher level national committee in charge of ethnic minority and mountainous affairs.”
Improving the quality of human resources for ethnic minority and mountainous regions is a task of the Party, government, and society. The Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs will work out a human resources development program while the administration at all levels and sectors are responsible for implementing it effectively to create a breakthrough in training and utilizing ethnic minority human resources.