School year 2002-2003 starts

Thu, 09/05/2002 - 23:42

Ha Noi, Sept. 5 (VNA) -- More than 22 million pupils and students, and 853,000 teachers at all educational levels throughout the country started their 2002-03 academic year today, Sept. 5.

The number of pupils and students increased by 2.4 percent over last year. Ho Chi Minh City alone registered the highest number of one million, followed by Ha Noi with more than 650,000.

Students and teachers in the Mekong delta also began the new school year today despite the high flood water level of the Mekong river.

Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien concludes visit to Mexico

Wed, 09/04/2002 - 18:04


Mexico City, Sept. 4 (VNA)-- Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien of Viet Nam ended his week-long official visit to Mexico on Sept. 3 after signing cooperation accords on culture, education and foreign affairs.

On the last day of his visit, the Vietnamese top diplomat was received by President of the Mexican Congress Enrique Jackson, who pledged comprehensive support to Viet Nam.

Association to promote employment for the disable

Sun, 09/01/2002 - 11:19

Ha Noi, Aug. 30 (VNA)-- An agency of the disabled is to submit a bill for the establishment of an association of entities of production, businesses and services of their own to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), which will soon take it under consideration.

The plan was unveiled by the Office for Coordination of Activities in Support of the Disabled (NCCD) at a workshop in Ha Noi on Aug. 29.

Amnesty on National Day

Sun, 09/01/2002 - 11:16


Ha Noi, Aug. 30 (VNA)-- The Presidential Office announced the President's special amnesty for 6,233 prisoners on the occasion of the National Day (Sept. 2).

Of the beneficiaries, 6,110 inmates have been well serving their sentences in jails, and the remaining 123 have their sentences suspended due to their special conditions according to law.

Textile & garment export to U.S increases steadily

Tue, 08/27/2002 - 22:10


Ha Noi, Aug. 27 (VNA) -- Local textile and garment producers earned more than 420 million USD from their exports to the U.S. market in the past eight months, a nine-fold increase over the same period last year.

However, the amount remained modest compared to the U.S. total annual spending of 60 billion USD on importing textile and garment products.

Local producers said that some obstacles should be removed in order to increase Viet Nam's textile and garment export earnings in the U.S. market.

Vietnam has made progress in achieving goal on primary education

Tue, 08/27/2002 - 10:19

Ha Noi, Aug. 27 (VNA) -- "Viet Nam has made considerable progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals on Primary Education," says a United Nations report released in Ha Noi on Aug. 26.

It elaborates: "there now exists very little difference between enrolment rates of boys and girls of primary school ages."

It admits: "the gender gap in enrolment rates still exists for secondary school. In upper secondary schools the gap has declined from a 15 percentage point to an 11 percentage point difference between boys and girls enrolment rates."

7-7.3% Economic growth in 2002

Wed, 08/21/2002 - 15:51

According to the government report, to attain the target of economic growth rate of 7-7.3%, the growth rate must be at least 7.5% in the second half of this year. This is a real and heavy task for the time to come.

The government has worked out 8 solution packages to be implemented in the second half of the year. VBF wishes to highlight six solution packages:

Vietnam hopes for expanded market after joining AFTA

Thu, 08/15/2002 - 22:08

Vietnam pins its hope on an expanded market once it becomes part of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 2006, according to Deputy Minister of Trade Luong Van Tu.

"The most obvious benefit for the country when it fully implements the Common Effect Preferential Tariff (CEPT) regime under the AFTA scheme is to broaden outlets for locally-made products," the deputy trade minister said.

La Vang festival for Catholics from 25 dioceses nationwide

Thu, 08/15/2002 - 22:04

Quang Tri, Aug. 15 (VNA) -- Tens of thousands of Catholics from 25 dioceses nationwide flocked to the 26th La Vang festival which was organised in the central province of Quang Tri from Aug. 13-15.

The authorities and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Chapters of Quang Tri province, of Hai Lang district, and of Hai Phu commune created every favourable condition for the Catholics to practise their religion during the event.

East Asian development co-operation: FM Nien

Tue, 08/13/2002 - 22:43


Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien affirmed the value of lessons on economic development in combination with poverty reduction in Southeast Asian nations over the recent past.

Speaking at the ministerial meeting on East Asian initiatives for development held in Tokyo on Monday, August 12, Mr Nien said the development co-operation relations have effectively helped the Vietnamese government and people maintain the high economic growth and reduce poverty.

Vietnam's enormous achievements have been highly appreciated by the international donors' community, he said.

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