Decision No. 159/2002/QD-TTg On approving the Project to implement the Program for strengthening school buildings.

Pursuant to …;

Approving the project to implement the program for strengthening school and classroom infrastructure

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Government Organization Law dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to Decree No. 52/1999/NĐ-CP dated July 8, 1999 and Decree No. 12/2000/NĐ-CP dated May 5, 2000 of the Government on the Management Regulations for Investment and Construction;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Education and Training in Report No. 9250/KHTC dated October 15, 2002 regarding the approval of the Project to Implement the Program for Strengthening School and Classroom Infrastructure.

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the Project to Implement the Program for Strengthening School and Classroom Infrastructure with the following main contents:

1. Name of the project: The Project to Implement the Program for Strengthening School and Classroom Infrastructure.

2. Objectives:

Implementing the program to strengthen schools and classrooms nationwide from preschool education to general education so that by the end of 2003, the practice of having three shifts of classes will be eliminated, and by 2005, there will be no temporary classrooms made of bamboo, wood, reeds, or leaves.

3. Requirements:

a. Constructing schools and classrooms according to model designs.

b. The program for strengthening school and classroom infrastructure will be implemented nationwide; priority investment will be given first to communes with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, poor mountainous areas in the North, Central Highlands, Central Vietnam, flood-prone areas, regions with many ethnic minority groups in the Mekong Delta, and other localities.

c. Combining this program with the standardization of schools and classrooms.

4. Scale of construction:

The total number of new classrooms planned to be constructed is 67,500 classrooms.

5. Sources of funding:

a. The central budget will support localities to achieve the objectives specified in Clause 2, Article 1 of this Decision. This source of funding will be allocated within the annual state budget estimates of the locality.

b. Local budgets annually.

c. Mobilizing voluntary contributions in various forms from enterprises of all economic sectors, international organizations, and benevolent individuals both domestically and internationally.

6. Implementation period: until 2005.

7. Managing agency: Ministry of Education and Training.

8. Implementing agencies: People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities.

Article 2. Implementation organization:

1. Establishing the Steering Committee for the Program for Strengthening School and Classroom Infrastructure at the central level, headed by the Minister of Education and Training as the Chairman, with members representing the leadership of relevant agencies: Ministry of Education and Training, Planning and Investment, Finance, Construction, Natural Resources and Environment, Government Office, Steering Committee for Enterprise Reform and Development.

The Steering Committee shall be responsible for assisting the Prime Minister in directing the implementation of the Program, researching and proposing forms of recognition, commendation, and rewards for collectives and individuals who have made significant contributions to the implementation of the Program.

2. The Ministry of Education and Training, as the permanent agency of the Program, shall have the tasks:

a. Specifically identifying the list of classrooms to be newly constructed under this Program nationwide and in each locality;

b. Developing an overall plan to implement the Program and annual implementation plans nationwide (specifically for each province and centrally-administered city);

c. Directing the organization of mobilization, receipt, and utilization of funds raised through voluntary contributions.

d. Based on the sources of funding stipulated in Clause 5, Article 1, according to the annual implementation plan, determining the specific needs and allocation schemes for each locality, submitting to the Prime Minister for decision.

e. Directing localities to implement the Program. Organizing inspections and evaluations of the progress of the Program's implementation in localities. Regularly evaluating the implementation of the Program every six months and annually, reporting results to the Prime Minister.

3. The Steering Committee for Enterprise Reform and Development, in collaboration with the Government Office, shall coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vietnam Federation of Trade Unions, and related ministries and agencies to organize the mobilization of voluntary contributions from enterprises of all economic sectors to implement the Program.

4. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education and Training to balance the central government budget funds for implementing the Program.

5. The Ministry of Finance shall have the tasks:

a. Allocating central government budget funds to implement the Program according to the implementation plan.

b. Guiding and directing the receipt and management of funds raised as stipulated in Point c, Clause 5, Article 1 of this Decision;

c. Coordinating with the Ministry of Education and Training to develop plans and proposals for annual financial allocations to provinces and centrally-administered cities, submitting to the Prime Minister for decision;

d. Taking the lead, coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Education and Training to guide the financial management mechanism for this Program based on the principle of simplifying procedures while ensuring strict management requirements.

6. The Ministry of Construction shall take the lead, coordinating with the Ministry of Education and Training to issue model designs for each type of classroom and school, guiding design construction suitable for the conditions of each region.

7. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall take the lead, coordinating with the Ministry of Education and Training to guide localities on land use for implementing the Program.

8. Provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees shall have the tasks:

a. Establishing the Steering Committee for the Program for Strengthening School and Classroom Infrastructure at the local level;

b. Inspecting and specifically determining the number of three-shift classrooms and temporary classrooms made of bamboo, wood, reeds, or leaves in the locality (specifically down to each commune, village, school).

Organizing mobilization on the local area for voluntary contributions to implement the Program.

c. Developing plans to implement the Program until 2005, annual implementation plans (specifically down to each commune, village, school), comprehensive and annual budget plans for implementing the Program (including specific proposals for central government support), reporting to the People's Councils of provinces, the central-level Steering Committee, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ministry of Finance.

d. Being responsible for directing, implementing, inspecting, and supervising the Program's implementation on the local area according to the plan, regulations, ensuring quality, preventing waste and corruption. Organizing regular meetings to evaluate and report to the central-level Steering Committee and the Ministry of Education and Training.

The implementation of the Program must be subject to supervision by People's Councils at all levels.

9. The Central Steering Committee shall coordinate with central agencies of mass organizations and social organizations in actively mobilizing participation in the Program to reinforce schools and classrooms in order to achieve the set objectives.

10. Central and local mass media agencies shall have the responsibility to widely publicize so that the whole society participates in responding, inspecting, and supervising the implementation of the Program to reinforce schools and classrooms.

Article 3. This Decision takes effect from the date of signature.

Article 4. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for implementing this Decision.