Event scene.

The project was launched in March 2024 and completed in December 2026. The direct beneficiaries of the project are preschool children of 6 ethnic groups: Mong, Ede, Khmer, J'rai, Bahnar, Thai, who are enhanced with Vietnamese on the basis of their mother tongue, helping children develop language, participate well in activities at preschool and be ready for grade 1; primary school students of 8 ethnic groups: Bahnar, Cham, Ede, Khmer, J'rai, Mnong, Mong, Thai, who have increased opportunities to learn and use their mother tongue, access documents about their ethnic culture; children with disabilities are supported with inclusive education, specific skills to gradually integrate and learn more effectively.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thi Kim Chi affirmed that this is a very meaningful event for Vietnamese education, especially for children in ethnic minority and disadvantaged areas.

The Deputy Minister shared that in recent times, Vietnamese education has developed, with fundamental changes in education from preschool to university, thereby ensuring the learning needs and right to education of children and students.

Besides changes and efforts, according to Deputy Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, Vietnamese education still faces many difficulties, especially in remote areas. Although there have been changes in policies and healthcare, children with disabilities still account for a large proportion and are in great need of attention and joint efforts from families, schools and society.

“Today, we are very pleased that the Global Partnership for Education, the Nippon Foundation and Save the Children have targeted the support that Vietnam is in great need of, namely ethnic minority children and children with disabilities. This is not only aimed at universalizing education and ensuring equity in education, but also towards the noble humanity of education,” said the Deputy Minister.

The Deputy Minister pledged that the Ministry of Education and Training will assign tasks to Departments, Bureaus, and related units to coordinate the effective implementation of the fund.

Representatives of the coordinating units cut the ribbon to launch the Project to Improve the Quality of Education for Ethnic Minority Children and Children with Disabilities in Vietnam.

Sharing at the ceremony, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation of Japan, expressed his hope that the Foundation's models will support children with disabilities as well as focus on solving existing problems to help children with disabilities and children from ethnic minorities have the best access to education.

Representative of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Mr. Charles North, Deputy General Director, affirmed that the launch of the project to improve the quality of education for ethnic minority children and children with disabilities marks an important moment for Vietnamese education and the project will take inclusive education in Vietnam further.

“With the good relationship we have built, we can still do more to support more children, so that no child is left behind,” said Mr. Charles North.

The project to improve the quality of education for ethnic minority children and children with disabilities in Vietnam is 100% funded by the GPE and NIPPON Foundations with a total budget of 121 billion VND, equivalent to 5.15 million USD.