Joint Circular No. 4086/2001/TTLT-BQP-BGDĐT-BLDTBXH-BTC guiding the implementation of Government Decree No. 15/2001/NĐ-CP dated May 1, 2001 on national defense education.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Implementing Decree No. 15/2001/NĐ-CP dated May 1, 2001 of the Government on National Defense Education

To implement Directive No. 62-CT/TW dated February 12, 2001 of the Party Central Committee (Eighth Congress) on "Strengthening National Defense Education for All Citizens in New Circumstances" and Decree No. 15/2001/NĐ-CP dated May 1, 2001 of the Government on National Defense Education;

After receiving opinions from the Civil Service Committee of the Government (document No. 128/BTCCBCP-TCBC dated June 6, 2001); the Organization Department of the Communist Party Central Committee (document No. 325-CV/TCTW dated July 23, 2001); the Department of Ideology and Culture of the Communist Party Central Committee (document No. 253-CV/TTVH dated July 20, 2001); the Ministry of Planning and Investment (document No. 3589 BKH/QPAN dated May 30, 2001); the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy (document No. 561/HVCTQG dated July 24, 2001); the National Academy of Public Administration (document No. 343/HCQG/GV dated July 24, 2001); the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance have reached a consensus to provide guidelines for implementing certain points of Decree No. 15/2001/NĐ-CP of the Government as follows:

I. OBJECTS, CONTENT, TIME, ORGANIZATION, AND METHODS OF NATIONAL DEFENSE EDUCATION

1. Students at secondary schools, vocational schools, colleges, and universities, both public and private.

1.1- Students at secondary schools (THPT), vocational high schools (THCN), colleges (CĐ), and universities (ĐH), including public, semi-public, private, and non-state-owned institutions, must follow the curriculum and regulations of the national defense education (NDE) course as prescribed by the Minister of Education and Training; students at vocational training schools (DN) must follow the curriculum and regulations of the NDE course as prescribed by the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

1.2- The content of NDE includes basic knowledge as stipulated in Clause 1 of Article 6 of the Decree.

1.3- Time, organization, and methods of NDE.

1.3.1- Secondary school students (THPT, THCN, DN);

a. Duration of the NDE course:

- Secondary school students (THPT): 96 class hours of NDE within the regular curriculum;

- Vocational high school students (THCN): 120 class hours if the training period is 36 months or more, 75 class hours if the training period is 24 months, and 45 class hours if the training period is between 12 and 18 months, all within the regular curriculum;

- Vocational training students: 120 class hours if the training period is 36 months or more, 75 class hours if the training period is between 24 and 36 months, and 45 class hours if the training period is between 12 and 24 months, all within the regular curriculum.

b- Organization and methods of NDE:

Secondary school students (THPT, THCN, DN) mainly study the NDE course at their own schools. Where conditions permit, they may be sent to study the NDE course at centers affiliated with universities or military schools. Depending on specific conditions of each locality and school, scattered or concentrated learning can be organized appropriately; however, the main method is scattered learning according to classes or grade levels.

1.3.2- College and university students;

a- Duration of the NDE course:

- College students: 3 academic units, 9 credit hours; including 1 unit, 2 credit hours on the Party's military strategy; 1 unit, 2 credit hours on national defense work; and 1 unit, 5 credit hours on military technology and tactics;

- University students in fields less closely related to military technology and engineering: 3 academic units, 11 credit hours; including 1 unit, 3 credit hours on the Party's military strategy; 1 unit, 3 credit hours on national defense work; and 1 unit, 5 credit hours on military technology and tactics;

- University students in fields closely related to military technology and engineering: 4 academic units, 14 credit hours; including 1 unit, 3 credit hours on the Party's military strategy; 1 unit, 3 credit hours on national defense work; 1 unit, 5 credit hours on military technology and tactics; and 1 unit, 3 credit hours on applying their field of study to serve technical branches of the military and national defense specialties. For university students in teacher training, physical education, and sports programs, the applied unit is replaced by a unit on organizing and teaching methods for the NDE course in secondary schools, vocational high schools, and vocational training schools;

- Academic units on the Party's military strategy, national defense work, and military technology and tactics are mandatory for all college and university students. The content of the applied unit for teacher training and physical education/sports programs will be issued by the Ministry of Education and Training after coordination with the Ministry of National Defense; the content of the applied unit for programs closely related to military technology and engineering will be determined and implemented by the universities after approval from relevant departments of the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of National Defense.

b- Organization and methods of NDE:

College and university students must complete the NDE course either at their own schools or at centers affiliated with universities or military academies according to the curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Trainees in the management system of the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, the National Academy of Public Administration, and schools of political and social organizations (referred to as the political, administrative, and mass organizations' school system).

2.1- Follow the curriculum and regulations of the NDE course as prescribed by the Directors of the Academies and Principals of the central political, administrative, and mass organizations' schools. The content of NDE includes basic knowledge as stipulated in Clause 2 of Article 6 of the Decree.

For civil servants undergoing training, follow the NDE curriculum prescribed for each level of study by the Ministry of Education and Training.

2.2- Requirements regarding time:

2.2.1- Trainees in bachelor-level political and administrative programs lasting from 24 to 36 months, who are already civil servants with intermediate theoretical qualifications or bachelor's degrees in other fields, must complete 1 academic unit, 3 credit hours of NDE.

2.2.2- Students attending full-time and part-time training courses of 8 to 12 months organized by ministries, sectors, and localities shall study one course unit and two units of curriculum on National Defense Education.

2.2.3- Students training to become key leaders at grassroots levels with a training period of 12 to 18 months at provincial political schools, municipal political schools under the central government, and management cadre schools of ministries, sectors, and mass organizations shall study one course unit and two units of curriculum on National Defense Education.

3. For key cadres and civil servants of the Party and State.

3.1- In accordance with defense and military tasks during each period, they shall be trained to update and enhance their knowledge on national defense, military affairs, and security. The content and program for training on national defense, military, and security knowledge shall be prescribed by the Ministry of National Defense in coordination with relevant functional agencies of the Party and State.

3.2- The training level is divided as follows:

3.2.1- Key cadres and civil servants at the provincial, ministry, bureau, department, and equivalent levels under central ministries, sectors, and mass organizations shall study at the National Defense Academy.

3.2.2- Key cadres and civil servants at the district, department, bureau, sector, and equivalent levels under provincial administrations shall study at military schools of military regions.

3.2.3- Key cadres and civil servants at the commune, district office, and equivalent levels shall study at provincial military schools under central municipalities.

3.2.4- For key cadres at village, hamlet, clan, community... levels, the District Committee and the People's Committee at the district level shall organize appropriate training courses based on the national defense and security requirements of the locality.

3.3- Upon completion of the course, if the student meets the required points and conditions set by the training institution, they will be issued a certificate of national defense knowledge by the training institution.

4. For state civil servants not falling within the scope specified in Clause 3 above.

Based on the defense and security requirements during each period, the party committee and head of the agency or unit shall develop appropriate national defense education content; methods of education through political study sessions and activities at the agency or through resolutions of leadership at higher levels monthly and quarterly to thoroughly disseminate national defense and security content to all officials and staff, thereby enhancing awareness of national defense and security, contributing to building a strong people's defense.

5. For the broad masses of the people.

The content of national defense education for the broad masses of the people, who do not fall within the categories specified in Clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Section I, shall be determined by the party committee and local administration. Mainly, education methods include meetings and gatherings at the grassroots level, through mass media, and incorporating into current events and propaganda during significant anniversaries such as National Defense Day (December 22), Martyrs' Day (July 27), traditional festivals... Depending on specific conditions, topics should be selected appropriately to enhance national defense awareness and contribute to building a strong people's defense.

II. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY OF MINISTRIES, AGENCIES EQUIVALENT TO MINISTRIES, AND LOCALITIES UNDER THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

1. Ministry of National Defense.

1.1- Coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Government Cadre Organization Board, the Central Cadre Organization Board, the Central Ideology and Culture Board, the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, and the National Administration Academy to prescribe the curriculum, content, and specific time for the National Defense Education subject for each category; take the lead in compiling textbooks, teaching materials, and reference books for research, teaching, and learning the National Defense Education subject in the national education system and in political and administrative schools and mass organizations.

1.2- Ensure firearms and ammunition for the National Defense Education subject according to the following quotas:

1.2.1- Firearms for training: high school students may use SKS or AK-47 rifles for training; secondary schools: 30 students per firearm; vocational high schools, technical schools, colleges, and universities: 20 students per firearm. Firearms lent for training must ensure safety for personnel and equipment.

1.2.2- Provide Type 56 bullets for testing the first shooting lesson with SKS or AK-47 rifles for 3% of the total number of students studying the National Defense Education subject (the remaining 97% will test using sports guns and ammunition provided by the Ministry of Education and Training). Use first and second-grade ammunition for testing purposes.

1.2.3- Each year, the military authority at the county, district, city level (hereinafter referred to as the county level) shall base its report on the National Defense Education plan and the weapons loan plan of high schools, vocational schools, technical schools, colleges, and universities within its jurisdiction to request ammunition for testing from these institutions. It shall directly distribute, guide usage, and manage storage according to established regulations; strictly control the number of firearms and ammunition used for testing. Immediately recover the loaned firearms upon completion of the training period.

1.2.4- Ensure sufficient firearms and ammunition for the training of National Defense Education teachers and the organization of track and field - military sports competitions in the education and training sector.

1.3- Assist schools and academies that lack National Defense Education teachers in teaching the National Defense Education subject. Each year, military authorities at all levels shall direct military units to assist schools in implementing the National Defense Education subject based on the annual contract plans of these schools.

1.4- Collaborate with the competent ministries, academies, schools, training organizations, and management bodies to train and conduct seminars for National Defense Education teachers and managers.

1.5- Together with the Ministry of Education and Training, develop a network planning for National Defense Education centers linked to colleges and universities nationwide as a basis for investment projects; issue decisions on establishment and organizational structure of National Defense Education centers for students under military schools after coordinating with the Ministry of Education and Training. Organize the construction of National Defense Education centers for students in military schools according to approved investment projects by the Government.

1.6- Direct the organization of defense technical sports clubs to support the national defense education course in the main curriculum. Through club activities, select individuals with talent to supplement military engineering fields. The Ministry of National Defense will support part of the equipment and location; political-social organizations and individuals contribute training funds.

1.7- Coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, the National Administration Academy, and central mass organizations' schools to ensure lecturers and teachers for the national defense education course at academies, institutes, and provincial and municipal political schools under central administration. Teacher assurance is carried out through two methods: inviting lectures or dispatching personnel, based on specific conditions of each school and locality.

1.8- Implement Clause 4, Article 9 of the Decree on dispatched officers; annually dispatch dispatched officers for training and upgrading their professional expertise to promptly supplement capable officers meeting management and teaching requirements of the national defense education course; manage, direct activities, and ensure all material and spiritual benefits for the dispatched officer team.

2. Ministry of Education and Training.

2.1- Issue the program and regulations for the national defense education course for high schools, vocational schools, colleges, and universities after coordinating with the Ministry of National Defense and relevant agencies. Direct, manage, and inspect the implementation of the national defense education course program and regulations in schools under its jurisdiction.

2.2- Cooperate with the Ministry of National Defense to compile textbooks for national defense education for subjects under its management; publish and distribute textbooks, teaching materials, and learning materials for the national defense education course. Specify and guide educational institutions in the national education system to use funding and facilities to ensure the national defense education course.

2.3- Issue and manage certificates for national defense education for students in colleges and universities.

2.4- Take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Finance, and related sectors to develop a network planning for national defense education centers under ministries and localities, linked to the network planning of universities and military schools nationwide, to be submitted to the Government for approval.

Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense to decide on the establishment, functions, tasks, powers, organizational staffing, and investment construction of national defense education centers for students in the National University, regional universities, and universities and colleges directly under the Ministry (referred to as national defense education centers for university students) according to approved investment projects by the Government.

2.5- Together with the Government Organizational Cadre Department and related sectors, define tasks, standards, positions, staffing for national defense education managers, teachers, and lecturers. Develop plans for training, upgrading, using, and policies for national defense education managers at ministry agencies, education departments, and teachers and lecturers in high schools, vocational schools, colleges, and universities and national defense education centers.

2.6- Directly and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense to manage and utilize the dispatched officer team for national defense education in the education sector; annually review and report evaluations to the Ministry of National Defense.

2.7- Annually direct subordinate agencies and schools to build cooperation work plans, training firearms borrowing plans, and ammunition application requests for local military authorities to implement the national defense education course; direct the use of funds allocated by the State for national defense education tasks.

2.8- Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and functional agencies to inspect and audit the implementation of the national defense education course in schools within the national education system.

3. Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

3.1- Issue the program and regulations for the national defense education course in vocational schools after coordinating with the Ministry of National Defense and relevant agencies. Direct, manage, and inspect the implementation of the national defense education course program for vocational school students.

3.2- Coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and relevant agencies to compile the program and textbooks for national defense education and issue decisions to promulgate programs, textbooks, teaching materials, and learning materials for the national defense education course for subjects under its management.

3.3- Coordinate with the Government Organizational Cadre Department, the Ministry of Education and Training, and related sectors to define positions, staffing, and policies for national defense education managers and teachers in educational and vocational training institutions.

3.4- Annually direct functional units, provincial labor, war invalids, and social affairs departments, and schools to build cooperation work plans, training firearms borrowing plans, and ammunition application requests for local military authorities to implement the national defense education course; direct the use of funds allocated by the State for national defense education tasks.

3.5- Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and functional agencies to inspect and audit the implementation of the national defense education course in vocational schools.

4. The Government Organizational Cadre Department.

Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, and central political, administrative, and mass organizations' schools to define positions, staffing ratios, and policies for national defense education managers, lecturers, and teachers, and guide consistent implementation nationwide.

5. The Ministry of Finance.

5.1- Annually, based on the State Budget Law, guide ministries, central agencies, and provinces and centrally-administered cities to prepare budgets for national defense education work, consider and consolidate them into the State budget draft for submission to the competent authority for decision.

5.2- Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs in developing national defense education expenditure systems and standards to be uniformly implemented nationwide.

5.3- Coordinate with ministries, central agencies, and provinces and centrally-administered cities to organize inspections of the implementation of the State budget for national defense education work according to prescribed regulations, ensuring proper and efficient use of the State budget for intended purposes, correct recipients, and appropriate policies.

6. The Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, the National Administrative Academy, and central mass organizations' schools.

6.1- Coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and relevant agencies to unify regulations on the content of the program; compile, revise, supplement, and promulgate military-civilian relations education textbooks suitable for each target group; arrange lecturers and teachers or coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense regarding methods to ensure lecturers and teachers for military-civilian relations education at academies, branch institutes, provincial political schools under central authority; guide schools within their jurisdiction to implement military-civilian relations courses.

6.2- Annually coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and related agencies and schools to inspect and audit military-civilian relations work in the system of political, administrative, and mass organizations under authority.

7. National Defense Academy:

7.1- Coordinate with the Central Organization Department's functional agency, the Central Propaganda and Culture Department, the Government Cadre Organization Department, and the Ministry of National Defense's functional agencies to determine the target groups, content, time, and plan for organizing national defense knowledge training courses at the Academy.

7.2- Coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy and the National Administrative Academy to implement military-civilian relations courses for training targets at these two academies.

7.3- Participate in developing programs, compiling, revising, and supplementing textbooks and materials for national defense education used in research, teaching, and learning military-civilian relations courses in the national education system and political, administrative, and mass organization schools.

8. Provinces and centrally governed cities.

Provincial People's Committees shall organize and implement national defense education according to the Decree on Military-Civilian Relations and guidelines in this Circular, and direct lower-level People's Committees to effectively carry out nationwide military-civilian relations work, focusing on key cadres, young students, and trainees in their areas. They shall report annually, quarterly, and semi-annually on the results of military-civilian relations work to the Prime Minister through the Ministry of National Defense.

III. IMPLEMENTATION AND SUPPORT WORK.

1. Organize functional agencies, staff, and teachers for national defense education work.

1.1- Ministry of National Defense.

1.1.1- Organize functional agencies and full-time specialized and part-time staff to assist the Central Military-Civilian Relations Council, the Ministry of National Defense, and leadership at all levels in guiding and managing nationwide military-civilian relations work, specifically:

a- Within the Ministry of National Defense: Organize functional agencies and full-time specialized staff to monitor, manage, and direct military-civilian relations education work;

b- At military regions and provinces: Allocate full-time specialized assistants to implement military-civilian relations work;

c- At districts: Have part-time staff to oversee military-civilian relations work;

1.1.2- Based on agreements between the Ministry of National Defense and the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, the National Administrative Academy, and central-level mass organization academies regarding methods to ensure military-civilian relations lecturers and teachers, assign or arrange lecturers and teachers to assist these academies, political, administrative, and mass organization schools in implementing military-civilian relations course programs.

1.2- Ministry of Education and Training.

1.2.1- Coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense to strengthen and consolidate the Military-Civilian Relations Department to assist the Minister in directing military-civilian relations work in schools under its management;

1.2.2- Coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense to allocate officers to manage and teach at student military-civilian relations centers in colleges and universities; organize departments or teaching teams for military-civilian relations in colleges and universities without such centers and some key educational departments;

1.2.3- Direct public high schools, vocational schools, colleges, and universities under its management to allocate sufficient military-civilian relations teachers to teach military-civilian relations courses according to regulations;

1.2.4- Direct non-public high schools, vocational schools, colleges, and universities under its management to arrange sufficient teachers or contract teachers meeting standards to teach military-civilian relations courses or send students to military-civilian relations centers, departments, or subjects in public colleges and universities to study military-civilian relations courses according to prescribed programs for each target group.

1.3- Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

1.3.1- Arrange specialized staff to assist the Minister in directing and implementing military-civilian relations work in agencies, units, and schools under its management;

1.3.2- Direct public and non-public vocational schools to allocate or arrange sufficient military-civilian relations teachers to teach military-civilian relations courses according to general regulations of the Ministry.

1.4- Other Ministries and sectors.

Direct business, vocational, college, and university schools (public and non-public) under their management to implement military-civilian relations courses; allocate or arrange sufficient teachers to teach military-civilian relations courses as stipulated for schools and classes managed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Funding for military-civilian relations work.

2.1- Principles for using funding for military-civilian relations work implementation:

2.1.1- Funding for military-civilian relations for objects under which level's management shall be funded from that level's budget, not using funds from another level for tasks of another level's budget;

2.1.2- Funding for military-civilian relations for schools under ministries and central agencies shall be allocated in the regular expenditure budget of those ministries and agencies;

2.1.3- Investment funding for basic construction and upgrading student and trainee military-civilian relations centers and procurement costs for uniforms and equipment for dedicated classrooms of these centers under state budget shall be allocated in the budget of the main managing ministry according to approved investment estimates by the Government;

2.1.4- Supplementary funding for uniforms and dedicated classroom equipment for student and trainee military-civilian relations centers shall be extracted from student and trainee tuition fees;

2.1.5- Ministries and central agencies shall prepare annual budget estimates for military-civilian relations and incorporate them into the annual budget estimates of their units, submit to the Ministry of Finance for review and consolidation into the State Budget estimate for submission to the competent authority for decision.

2.2. State funding allocated to the Ministry of National Defense for management:

Annually, based on the plan for managing, directing, and implementing military-civilian relations work of the Ministry and activities of the Central Military-Civilian Relations Council, prepare a budget estimate for funding military-civilian relations work within the overall defense budget. Including:

2.2.1- Funding for the task of providing national defense knowledge training for key cadres of the Party and State at the National Defense Academy; military academies and military schools in military regions and military academies and schools.

2.2.2- Funds allocated for management, training, organization, and implementation of nationwide national defense education and activities of the Central National Defense Education Council;

2.2.3- Funds for developing content, curricula, textbooks for national defense education for various target groups;

2.2.4- Funds for training on national defense education work for officers and military cadres of local military agencies, military units involved in management and teaching national defense education courses (budgeted according to the level of management);

2.2.5- Funds for investment in construction, procurement of equipment, management, and operation of technical defense sports clubs;

2.2.6- Funds for maintenance of weapons and technical equipment for national defense education subjects;

2.2.7- Funds to ensure the operations of specialized professional national defense education agencies under the Ministry of National Defense;

2.2.8- Funds for basic construction investment and upgrading of student national defense education centers in military schools under the management of the Ministry of National Defense, approved by the Government;

2.2.9- Funds for projects and scientific research topics on national defense education;

2.2.10- Funds for mid-term and final evaluations of nationwide national defense education work;

2.2.11- Funds for rewarding collectives and individuals engaged in national defense education work;

2.3- Funds allocated by the State to be managed by the Ministry of Education and Training:

2.3.1- Funds for national defense education for students within the training budget established by the Ministry of Education and Training, disbursed through the sectoral budget, with the Ministry transferring part of the budget to schools and localities based on their tasks and planned budgets;

2.3.2- Funds for compiling curricula and textbooks as budgeted by the managing agency;

2.3.3- Funds for basic construction investment and upgrading of national defense education centers for students at universities and colleges directly under the Ministry, approved by the Government;

2.3.4- Funds for training, enhancing, and training managers, lecturers, and teachers of national defense education under the sector's management;

2.3.5- Funds for purchasing new and supplementary, replacement equipment, working tools, and teaching aids for national defense education managers and lecturers;

2.3.6- Funds for mid-term and final evaluations and rewards for national defense education under the sector's management;

2.4- Funds allocated by the State to be managed by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs:

2.4.1- Funds for national defense education for long-term vocational students concentrated at vocational schools directly under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, as budgeted by the Ministry;

2.4.2- Funds for compiling curricula and textbooks for national defense education as budgeted by the managing agency;

2.4.3- Funds for training, enhancing, and training teachers and managers of national defense education under the sector;

2.4.4- Funds for purchasing new, supplementary, and replacement equipment, working tools, and teaching aids for national defense education staff and teachers under the sector;

2.4.5- Funds for mid-term and final evaluations and rewards for national defense education under the sector's management;

2.5- The Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, the National Administration Academy, political and administrative schools, mass organizations, and schools under the management of ministries, sectors, and localities: annually base on enrollment targets and the need for teacher training to prepare the national defense education budget within the training budget;

2.6- State funds balanced for provinces and centrally-administered cities to manage and ensure:

2.6.1- Funds for national defense education courses for high school, vocational secondary, vocational, college, and university students under local management;

2.6.2- Funds for national defense education for cadre training at provincial-level political schools;

2.6.3- Funds for enhancing national defense knowledge for key cadres of the Party, government, and mass organizations at the provincial and centrally-administered city levels;

3. Effectiveness of Implementation.

This Circular takes effect fifteen days from the date of signature and abolishes previous guidelines that conflict with this Circular;

During implementation, if there are difficulties, please promptly reflect them for the Joint Ministries to consider, supplement, and amend.