Joint Circular No. 01/2006/TTLT-BLDTBXH-BGDĐT-BYT guiding the work of teaching culture, behavior rehabilitation education, and character development for drug addicts, sex workers, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for teaching cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development

for drug addicts, prostitutes, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation

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Pursuant to the Law on Prevention and Control of Narcotics dated December 9, 2000; the Education Law dated June 14, 2005; the Ordinance on Administrative Violation Handling dated July 2, 2002; the Ordinance on Prevention and Control of Prostitution dated March 17, 2003; Decision No. 147/2003/NĐ-CP dated December 2, 2003 of the Government stipulating conditions, procedures for issuing permits and management of voluntary drug rehabilitation facilities (hereinafter referred to as Decision No. 147/2003/NĐ-CP); Decision No. 135/2004/NĐ-CP dated June 10, 2004 of the Government stipulating the regime for applying measures to admit individuals to medical facilities, organizing activities of such facilities according to the Ordinance on Administrative Violation Handling and the regime applicable to minors and individuals voluntarily admitted to medical facilities; Decision No. 34/CP dated June 1, 1996 of the Government guiding the implementation of the Ordinance on Prevention and Control of Viruses Causing Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome;

After receiving comments from the Population, Family and Children Committee in Circular No. 1506/DSGĐTE-TE dated December 26, 2005 and the agreement of the Ministry of Finance in Circular No. 16177/BTC-HCSN dated December 12, 2005, the Ministry of Health issues guidelines for teaching cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development for drug addicts, prostitutes, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation as follows:

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Scope of regulation and applicable subjects:

a) Scope of regulation: This Circular guides the content, program, and management of teaching cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development for drug addicts, prostitutes, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation.

b) Applicability:

- Drug addicts and prostitutes subject to the measure of admission to medical facilities under Article 26 of the Ordinance on Administrative Violation Handling, including voluntary drug addicts and prostitutes who apply this measure at medical facilities.

- Individuals post-drug rehabilitation subject to the measure of organization and management, vocational training, and employment placement for individuals post-drug rehabilitation prescribed in Article 2 of Decision No. 16/2003/QH11 dated June 17, 2003 of the National Assembly regarding the implementation of pilot programs for organization and management, vocational training, and employment placement for individuals post-drug rehabilitation in Ho Chi Minh City and other centrally-administered cities and provinces.

- Voluntary drug addicts undergoing drug rehabilitation at voluntary drug rehabilitation facilities in accordance with the content of the operating permit for drug rehabilitation facilities prescribed in point b and point d clause 1 Article 3 of Decision No. 147/2003/NĐ-CP.

The facilities specified in point b clause 1 above include: Rehabilitation-Counseling-Social Work Centers; facilities for organization and management, vocational training, and employment placement for individuals post-drug rehabilitation and voluntary drug rehabilitation facilities (hereinafter collectively referred to as Centers).

2. Educational methods: the work of teaching cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development for drug addicts, prostitutes, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation involves the comprehensive use of medical therapies, psychological therapies, and educational measures.

3. Content of education:

a) Cultural education following regular education programs includes: literacy programs and continuing education after literacy; supplementary lower secondary education; supplementary upper secondary education.

b) Behavior rehabilitation, character development for drug addicts, prostitutes, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation (hereinafter collectively referred to as behavior rehabilitation, character development) includes: specialized education; group education; individual education and collective activities.

Depending on the material conditions, teaching equipment, teachers, and students' management, the number of drug addicts, prostitutes, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation in each class should be arranged appropriately. Each class shall not exceed 50 people (excluding individual education and collective activities).

4. Classification of students: drug addicts and prostitutes who participate in cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development after a period of treatment, detoxification, and health recovery shall be classified based on the following criteria:

a) Age, educational level, and cognitive ability;

b) Medical condition, such as contracting opportunistic infections or having dangerous infectious diseases that do not ensure learning and educational conditions;

c) Individuals who have undergone multiple treatments and rehabilitations or those with dangerous disruptive behaviors or criminal records;

d) Based on the results of drug rehabilitation and health recovery during concentrated treatment and rehabilitation for individuals post-drug rehabilitation.

Based on the classification results according to the above criteria, the Director of the Center will divide students into classes with appropriate content and programs to ensure the effectiveness of cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development at the facility.

5. Educational Program

a) Cultural education: implemented according to the educational program prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

b) Behavior rehabilitation, character development: implemented according to the content and program of education issued by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs after consultation with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Health, and relevant agencies.

6. Time allocation: cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development are scheduled in accordance with the rehabilitation and detoxification programs for drug addicts, prostitutes, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation as follows:

a) For drug addicts and prostitutes specified in paragraph 1 and paragraph 3 point b clause 1 Section I of this Circular, the time allocated for cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development shall not exceed 70% of the total time spent by drug addicts and prostitutes in treatment and rehabilitation at the Center.

b) For individuals post-drug rehabilitation specified in paragraph 2 point b clause 1 Section I of this Circular, the time allocated for cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development shall not exceed 35% of the total time spent by individuals post-drug rehabilitation in living and productive labor at the Center.

7. Funding sources: The funds for implementing cultural education and behavior rehabilitation education as prescribed in this Circular shall be allocated in the annual state budget estimate according to the current state budget decentralization; from service supply and production labor sources; contributions from the subjects and other financial sponsorships from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals in accordance with the law. The preparation, allocation, execution, and settlement of the funds shall be carried out in accordance with the State Budget Law and guiding legal documents for the implementation of the State Budget Law.

II. CULTURAL EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR REHABILITATION EDUCATION

1. Cultural Education: Persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation at the Center for a period of six months or more and who are physically fit to study have the right to participate in cultural education. The Center is responsible for organizing appropriate cultural education classes based on the level of each subject as follows:

a) Primary School Program:

Implementing the literacy program and continuing education after learning to read according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation who do not know how to read or have not completed the primary school curriculum.

b) Lower Secondary School Program:

Implementing the lower secondary school supplementary program according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation who have completed the primary school curriculum or have not completed the lower secondary school curriculum.

c) Upper Secondary School Program:

Implementing the upper secondary school supplementary program according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation who have completed the lower secondary school curriculum or have not completed the upper secondary school curriculum.

d) The cultural education program prescribed in Clause 1, Section II of this Circular may extend the time for each subject or part of a lesson, in accordance with the psychological and health characteristics of persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation, but not exceeding 50% of the total time required for each course and must ensure the objectives, contents, and guidance of the cultural education program as prescribed.

2. Behavior Rehabilitation Education:

After treatment and rehabilitation, persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation who are physically fit to study, the Center is responsible for organizing behavior rehabilitation education as follows:

a) Specialized Education:

- The content and program of specialized education include: moral education, civic education, and law; building a cultured lifestyle; social interaction in family and community life; labor and living education; health education and prevention of HIV/AIDS; historical, national defense, and traditional education; the Party and State's viewpoint on persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation... aimed at restoring behavior and personality for persons addicted to drugs and persons engaged in prostitution to reintegrate into society.

- The content and program of specialized deep education need to be supplemented, reduced, or strengthened to suit the characteristics of each group of persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation as follows:

+ For persons addicted to drugs: the content and program should strengthen education on the psychological and physiological characteristics, harmful effects, and influencing factors of drug addiction...

+ For persons engaged in prostitution: the content and program need to strengthen education on gender, safe sex, and reproductive health; self-respect, personal dignity.

+ For persons infected with HIV: the content and program should reduce national defense and legal education; strengthen content on loving families and communities; measures and skills to prevent and control HIV/AIDS.

+ For persons undergoing multiple drug rehabilitation treatments, those with public disorderly conduct, or with criminal records: the content and program must strengthen legal education on concentrated drug rehabilitation and apply management measures, vocational training, and employment solutions for persons after drug rehabilitation.

+ For persons undergoing drug rehabilitation: the content and program should supplement education on labor and living; personality, morality, and law; strengthen measures to prevent relapse and re-addiction.

- For persons who have completed the primary school program and are under 16 years old: the content and program should be simplified, not including complex and difficult-to-understand content compared to their age and grade level, and should focus on psychological, gender, and age education; friendship and love in youth life.

b) Group Education (Group Counseling):

- The content and program of education include: life skills, social interaction, values of life, knowledge and experience in changing lifestyles, enhancing social awareness... in activities at the Center and in the community.

- For persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation, to enhance awareness to change behavior and improve individual personality, organized in groups of 20 to 30 people per class with educational forms such as roundtable discussions, seminars, information exchange, guided by facilitators for 90 minutes per session.

c) Individual Education (Individual Counseling):

- The content and program of education include: enhancing awareness of personal values, social rules and values regarding morality, spirit, lifestyle...

- For persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons undergoing drug rehabilitation with special circumstances or psychological conditions, or those who violate the Center's internal regulations, with information exchange, consultation, and psychological treatment guided by facilitators, lasting from 20 to 45 minutes per session.

d) Collective Activities:

- The content and program of education include: history, national traditions, patriotism; current events, economic and social development of the country...

3. Results of cultural education and behavior rehabilitation, character development:

a) Regarding cultural education:

- Persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation who complete the literacy program and continue their education after learning to read, if meeting the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Training, shall be recognized and issued a certificate of literacy and completion of the primary school curriculum.

- Persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation who complete the supplementary lower secondary school program, if meeting the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Training, shall be recognized and issued a lower secondary school graduation certificate.

The Director of the Department of Education and Training at the district or provincial city level shall issue the lower secondary school graduation certificate.

- Persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation who complete the supplementary upper secondary school program, if meeting the conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Training, shall be eligible to take the upper secondary school graduation examination, and if they meet the graduation requirements, they shall be issued an upper secondary school graduation certificate.

The Director of the Department of Education and Training shall issue the upper secondary school graduation certificate.

b) Regarding behavior rehabilitation and character development education:

- The organization of classes for behavior rehabilitation and character development education, as prescribed in Clause 2, Section II of this Circular, must include discussion time, practice, writing summaries or examinations, with either written or multiple-choice formats for each class or course.

- The Director of the Center shall issue a certificate of completion of the behavior rehabilitation and character development education program for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation, which serves as a basis for evaluating and assessing the treatment and rehabilitation process at the facility.

III. MATERIAL BASE, EQUIPMENT AND REGULATIONS, POLICIES

1. During the construction, planning, upgrading, and expansion of treatment facilities based on the scale of reception, Centers must arrange classrooms for cultural and specialized educational programs according to the regulations of the education sector and schedule cultural and specialized educational classes during morning, afternoon, and evening sessions; group education, individual education, and collective activities should be arranged appropriately according to the characteristics of the material base of each facility.

2. Teaching equipment: teaching equipment must be ensured for each grade level; audio equipment, projectors... for cultural and behavior rehabilitation and character development education classes; paper, pens, books...

3. Library: there must be classrooms and a full set of books for cultural and behavior rehabilitation and character development education work and reference books necessary for this work.

4. Regulations and policies for teachers, lecturers, speakers... shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Annually, Centers have the responsibility to budget funds to ensure teaching equipment; paper, pens, books; teaching materials, study materials, and reference materials; and regulations and policies for staff participating in cultural education and behavior rehabilitation and character development education work at the facility, to be submitted for approval by the competent authority.

IV. ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Responsibilities of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs:

a) To lead and coordinate with the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Health to implement the content and program of behavior rehabilitation and character development education for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation at Centers.

For content and programs of behavior rehabilitation and character development education that have not been specified, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall be responsible for approving them after obtaining the opinions of the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Health, including domestic and international training and training projects currently being implemented locally; and report to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to organize implementation at Centers.

b) To direct, guide, and inspect voluntary drug rehabilitation facilities to implement cultural education and behavior rehabilitation and character development education for persons addicted to drugs in accordance with this Circular.

c) To direct, guide, and organize training and updating knowledge for visiting teachers supporting cultural education and behavior rehabilitation and character development education about the psychological and physiological characteristics of persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation at Centers.

d) To direct and establish procedures for evaluation, assessment, and issuance of certificates for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation upon completion of the behavior rehabilitation and character development education program at the facility.

2. Responsibilities of the Department of Education and Training:

a) To direct the implementation of the cultural education program: organizing examinations and issuing upper secondary school graduation certificates; directing the Department of Education and Training at the district or provincial city level to recognize and issue lower secondary school graduation certificates for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation at Centers in accordance with the regulations of the education sector.

b) To cooperate in implementing the content and program of specialized education, updating knowledge, capacity, duration, methods, and forms of educational activities to meet the needs of learners; ways to assess results suitable for the psychological and physiological characteristics of persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation.

c) To direct county, district, and provincial city-level permanent education centers to create favorable conditions for teachers to teach cultural subjects to persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation, upon request from the Directors of Centers.

d) To create favorable conditions for persons addicted to drugs, persons engaged in prostitution, and persons after drug rehabilitation to continue their studies at educational institutions managed by the education sector after completing their treatment and rehabilitation period at Centers.

đ) To direct, guide, and organize training and updating pedagogical skills, teaching methods, and educational psychology for the education management staff at treatment and rehabilitation facilities.

3. Responsibilities of the Health Departments:

a) Direct, guide health agencies within their jurisdiction to organize health examinations, assess, and classify the health status of drug addicts, sex workers, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation according to the Health Classification Standards issued with Decision No. 1613/QĐ-BYT dated August 15, 1997, by the Minister of Health, so that Centers can select subjects, arrange time, and divide classes appropriately for each group of drug addicts, sex workers, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation; except for those infected with HIV who have progressed to AIDS stage, active pulmonary tuberculosis, or have not been cured, and whose bodies are severely weakened.

b) Guide the combined use of medical therapies, psychological therapies, along with cultural education and behavioral recovery education to rehabilitate personality, which the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs will coordinate with the Department of Education and Training to direct Centers to arrange time and divide classes appropriately for each group of drug addicts, sex workers, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation.

c) Direct, guide, and organize training and dissemination of knowledge about health recovery characteristics; infectious diseases, especially blood-borne and sexually transmitted diseases, and preventive measures against infection, to be implemented by teachers and student supervisors from the labor, invalids, and social affairs sector and the education sector when teaching culture, behavioral recovery education, and personality rehabilitation at Centers.

4. Responsibilities of Centers:

a) Rehabilitation-Correctional Education-Social Work Centers; management facilities for vocational training and employment services for individuals post-drug rehabilitation shall be responsible: based on the number of drug addicts, sex workers, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation at the facility, annually develop plans to organize cultural education, behavioral recovery education, and personality rehabilitation classes; simultaneously, based on the content, program, and time schedule of the classes, develop annual budget plans to report to the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and the Department of Education and Training for approval by the provincial People's Committee and implementation at the facility.

b) Voluntary Drug Rehabilitation Facilities shall be responsible to annually tally the number of drug addicts by educational level, report to the Department of Education and Training to support cultural education; specifically, behavioral recovery education and personality rehabilitation for drug addicts shall be carried out according to this Circular.

V. IMPLEMENTATION

1. The People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities shall direct the Departments of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, Education and Training, and Health to manage and implement programs and plans for cultural education, behavioral recovery education, and personality rehabilitation for drug addicts, sex workers, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation within their respective jurisdictions.

2. The Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall take the lead, coordinating with the Departments of Education and Training, and Health to study, survey, and develop proposals to organize cultural education, behavioral recovery education, and personality rehabilitation for drug addicts, sex workers, and individuals post-drug rehabilitation at Centers within their respective jurisdictions.

3. Annually, the Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall take the lead, coordinating with the Departments of Education and Training and Finance to develop budget plans to report to the provincial People's Committee for approval and implementation; the Department of Finance shall be responsible for allocating funds to ensure the operation of these activities locally.

4. The Department of Social Evil Prevention and Control - Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall take the lead, coordinating with the Department of Directors' Office - Ministry of Education and Training and the Department of Treatment - Ministry of Health to assist leadership in guiding the implementation of this Circular; annually organizing a meeting once to compile and report the situation and results to the leadership of the Ministries.

5. This Circular takes effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette and replaces Circular No. 08/TT-LB dated April 22, 1996, issued by the Joint Ministries of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and Education and Training, guiding work on eradicating illiteracy (post-illiteracy eradication) for drug addicts and sex workers at treatment facilities.

During implementation, if there are difficulties or obstacles, please reflect them to the Joint Ministries for research and resolution.