Directive No. 29/2001/CT-BGDĐT On Strengthening Teaching, Training, and Applying Information Technology in the Education Sector for the Period 2001-2005

DIRECTIVE

Regarding Strengthening Teaching, Training, and Application of Information Technology in the Education Sector for the Period 2001-2005

The new achievements of science and technology in the second half of the 20th century are changing the forms and contents of economic, cultural, and social activities of mankind. Some developed countries have begun to shift from industrial civilization to information civilization. Developing countries are actively applying the latest advances in science and technology, particularly information technology, to develop and integrate themselves.

For education and training, information technology has a strong impact, changing the content, methods, and modes of teaching and learning. Information technology is a means to move towards a "learning society." On the other hand, education and training play a crucial role in promoting the development of information technology through providing human resources for it.

Directive No. 58-CT/TW of the Politburo dated October 17, 2000 on accelerating the application and development of information technology to serve the cause of industrialization and modernization, and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister dated May 24, 2001 approving the Action Program to implement Directive No. 58-CT/TW clearly identify the key tasks of the education sector as training information technology human resources and intensifying the application of information technology in educational work at all levels and fields.

To implement Directive No. 58-CT/TW of the Politburo and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education and Training requests management levels and educational institutions to carry out the following tasks:

1. Enhancing awareness of the role of information technology:

1.1. Organize the dissemination of the content and spirit of Directive No. 58-CT/TW of the Politburo and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister, enhancing awareness of the role of information technology in the process of industrialization and modernization of the country, recognizing clearly the important role of information technology in the development of education in the 21st century. Applying and developing information technology in education and training will create a fundamental change in the process of renewing content, programs, teaching methods, learning methods, and educational management.

1.2. Recognizing clearly the task of developing information technology human resources and applying information technology in education and training as a critical task that is decisive for the development of information technology in the country. Measures need to be found to intensify the application of information technology in professional work and management, intensify the training and upgrading of knowledge about information technology for staff, students, and pupils, improving the quality of training teams of information technology experts to meet domestic needs and part of the international market.

1.3. It is necessary to build specific action plans at each level and unit for the implementation of Directive No. 58-CT/TW of the Politburo and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister.

2. The initial implementation of specific goals of the sector is:

2.1. By 2005, at least an additional 50,000 information technology specialists at various levels must be trained; including 25,000 high-level information technology specialists and professional programmers fluent in English.

2.2 Organize well the teaching and learning of computer science at all levels, grades, and fields to popularize computer science in schools.

2.3 Intensify the application of information technology in education and training at all levels, grades, and fields in the direction of using information technology as the most effective tool for reforming teaching and learning methods in all subjects.

2.4. Build and implement projects to develop computer networks serving education and training (EduNet), expanding Internet connections to educational institutions.

3. Implement key tasks:

3.1. Expand the scale and improve the quality of training information technology human resources, specifically:

a) Universities, colleges, and vocational schools need to prioritize conditions to increase the scale of information technology training, open departments, and information technology faculties, possibly combining electronic - computer science - telecommunications and computer science with other specialized fields.

b) Actively review and update information technology training programs in the direction of increasing practical capacity, strengthening software technology content, referring to and using information technology training programs and contents of advanced countries.

c) The training and upgrading of information technology lecturers play a decisive role in the quality of training. Schools need to build plans and organize local training courses or send lecturers for training and upgrading at other domestic and foreign institutions. There should be plans to recruit young capable personnel in information technology to supplement the lecturer and teacher team.

d) Intensify the basic and specialized English language training for students and trainees, especially for students in information technology departments. Conduct some specialized subject lectures, write special topics, and graduation theses in English.

e) Prioritize the use of state investment sources, sponsorships, and self-funding to gradually strengthen and modernize information technology infrastructure, prioritizing the construction of networked computer rooms for student and pupil practice.

3.2. Intensify the training of information technology knowledge for students, trainees, and staff in other fields.

a) Universities, colleges, and vocational schools review their computer science curricula, supplementing and updating new and practical information technology knowledge.

b) Non-information technology departments need to reform their teaching curricula, teaching methods, and scientific research towards enhancing the application of information technology. Scientific and technological fields need to strengthen programming education to be able to develop specialized software applications.

c) It is necessary to establish appropriate training programs for continuous education through the Internet, flexible self-study with guidance to create conditions for people to improve their qualifications or learn new subjects related to information technology as well as other fields.

d) Encourage the establishment of classes and centers within schools to enhance information technology knowledge, meeting learners' needs; however, it is essential to ensure the quality of training and enhancement.

3.3. Building internal networks, connecting to the Internet, establishing an educational network (EduNet), applying them to educational management, contributing to improving the quality of training, implementing distance learning forms:

a) Universities, colleges, and vocational schools should proactively build internal networks, establish internal network operation centers, and connect to the Internet. Strive to have all (100%) universities and colleges connected to the Internet with high-speed connections by 2003, and effectively utilize these connections.

b) By 2005, 100% of Departments of Education and Training should establish internal networks, gradually connecting secondary schools and exploiting the Internet, with 70% of secondary schools connected to the Internet.

c) Form an educational network (EduNet) serving learning, teaching, and management activities at institutions and throughout the sector. Enhance educational and training information on the network through websites of the Ministry and Departments. Implement the application of information technology in educational management and training. Each educational institution must have a website reflecting its activities and connecting to the educational network.

d) Promote the application of the Internet in remote teaching.

3.4. Strengthening computer education and the application of information technology in general education:

a) Specify the number of hours for computer education. Encourage learning information technology outside regular class hours, extracurricular activities, and outside school. Introduce suitable and flexible computer education content and programs into different levels of education, ensuring that there are computer teachers in secondary schools.

b) Reform the content, curriculum, and teaching methods of computer education towards ensuring basic knowledge, the up-to-date nature of the program, strengthening computer skills, and using software to support teaching and learning other subjects in school. Pilot the implementation of using information technology in teaching some subjects in places with favorable conditions.

c) Teacher training schools should develop programs to enhance computer skills and organize training for computer teachers and teachers of other subjects so they can apply information technology in teaching according to the current curriculum; simultaneously, train students from all departments to have the ability to teach the new general education curriculum in line with the thorough application of computer progress in the process of reforming teaching methods.

4. Implementation:

4.1. For the Ministry of Education and Training:

a) The Ministry's Information Technology Steering Committee is responsible for building and submitting to the Minister for approval the Action Program of the Ministry for the period 2001-2005 to implement Directive No. 58/CT-TW of the Politburo and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister, advising the Minister on plans and specific solutions to implement the Ministry's action program.

b) Heads of units under the Ministry shall develop plans to implement the above tasks in the educational level and management field assigned to them, specifically as follows:

- The Department of Planning and Finance shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant departments to develop plans for training cadres with postgraduate, university, and vocational education levels, and financial resources to ensure the scale and quality of training. Establish a separate budget item for information technology and allocate funds for information technology application activities. Develop specific measures to encourage organizations, individuals from all economic sectors, and foreign information technology experts to participate in training information technology human resources.

- The University Department shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant departments to direct the reform of information technology training programs, implement and supervise the quality of training; cooperate with the Department of Planning and Finance in assigning training targets for information technology personnel to universities, colleges, and vocational schools. Annually compile reports on the situation of training information technology human resources.

- The Post-Graduate Department shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant departments to direct universities and research institutes to develop master's and information technology training programs, with specific annual plans for training and enhancing information technology cadres with doctoral and master's degrees both domestically and internationally.

- The International Relations Department shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies in building, implementing, and inspecting international cooperation projects and seeking assistance from foreign information technology scientists to train cadres and implement information technology applications.

- The Science and Technology Department shall direct research units to develop information technology and research information technology applications.

- The Teachers Department shall direct teacher training schools to train computer teachers and enhance information technology for teachers.

- The Organization and Cadre Department shall take the lead and coordinate with functional departments within the Ministry and relevant agencies to ensure the staffing of computer teachers in secondary schools, lecturers in universities, colleges, and vocational schools; take the lead and coordinate with the Information Technology Departments and Centers to organize information technology enhancement courses for cadres and civil servants in the sector.

- The Institute of Educational Science shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant departments to develop a project on teaching information technology at general education schools.

- The Primary Education Department, the General Secondary Education Department, the Vocational Secondary Education Department, and the Vocational Training Department shall direct and inspect the teaching of information technology at their respective levels.

- The Lifelong Education Department shall direct the implementation of the universalization and lifelong education programs on information technology, guide the deployment of applied information technology programs in appropriate lifelong education formats.

- The Political Work Department shall act as the focal point and coordinate with the Information Technology Center to post information about the sector's activities on the Ministry’s website.

- The Information Technology Center shall take the lead in implementing the educational network; coordinate with the Office and relevant departments to ensure the internal network and the Ministry’s website operate effectively.

- The Office shall take the lead and coordinate with units within the Ministry and the Information Technology Center to enhance the application of information technology in the Ministry’s operations.

4.2. For Departments of Education and Training:

a) The Director of the Department of Education and Training shall be responsible for the activities related to the implementation of information technology teaching in local schools, building computer networks, connecting the Department with schools in the locality, establishing the Department’s website, coordinating with the Ministry’s Information Technology Center to connect information with the Ministry of Education and Training’s website, implementing the application of information technology in management and teaching.

b) Develop the Department’s action program for 2001-2005 to implement Directive No. 58/CT-TW of the Politburo and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister, regularly report the results of implementation to the Ministry of Education and Training at the end of the second quarter and fourth quarter each year.

4.3. For universities, university colleges, and vocational secondary schools.

a) The university president, college principal, and vocational secondary school principal shall be responsible for implementing the teaching, training, and application of information technology, building the school’s internal network and website, connecting information with the Ministry of Education and Training; deploying applied information technology programs in appropriate lifelong education formats.

b) Develop the school’s action program for 2001-2005 to implement Directive No. 58/CT-TW of the Politburo and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister, regularly report the results of implementation to the Ministry of Education and Training at the end of the second quarter and fourth quarter each year.

4.4. The Ministry’s Information Technology Steering Committee shall assist the Minister in urging the implementation of this Directive, compiling and reporting the results every six months to the Minister for submission to the Prime Minister.

The implementation of Directive No. 58/CT-TW and Decision No. 81/2001/QĐ-TTg is a very important task. All levels of educational management and educational institutions throughout the sector must make great efforts, be proactive, and innovative to create a meaningful shift in the early years of the new decade, contributing to achieving the goals of developing the information industry, serving the industrialization and modernization of the country.