Van Han Commune, Vietnam
Van Han Commune School Construction Project
Completed in June 2010, Study Group's most recent Building Futures' project involved the improvement of the physical facilities of the lower secondary school in Van Han Commune, Dong Hy district in Thai Nguyen province.
Now finished, it is estimated that the project will benefit around 450 children from 17 different villages each year.
Study Group_Vietnam_081210_final
Project Overview
Plan has been supporting the Van Han community over the past eight years with projects that focus on health, livelihood, education and child protection. This project aimed to improve the quality of education at Van Han lower secondary school, which was in dire need of extension and renovation.
There are 453 students enrolled at the school (223 girls, 230 boys) and 30 teachers in total. The main problem related to the learning environment at the school:
- Inadequate classroom condition: The 8 classrooms were constructed between 1984 and 1992, and due to degradation over the years, all of the classrooms were unstable and six rooms were regarded as being at high risk of collapse.
- Insufficient teaching space: The school has 12 classes but only had 8 classrooms, therefore the school had to organise lessons in two shifts. The 6th and 9th grades were taught in the morning, whilst the 7th and 8th grades had their lessons in the afternoon. Of course, this caused disruption to the education of the students as their lessons had to be condensed to fit to the daily time schedule.
- Poor student learning outcomes: Previously, the children achieved low educational results at the school. In the 2007-2008 years, 80% of the students gained an average to weak academic result. The inadequacy of the conditions at Van Han School contributed to its student drop out rate of 5-8%.
The school, community and local government did not have the resources to replace the seriously degraded classrooms. Upon consultation with the community, including the children, about the needs of the community, they prioritised the rehabilitation of the school.
This project intended to support the construction of ten new classrooms in a two-storey building for secondary school pupils from 17 villages in Van Han Commune. The aim was to improve not only the learning environment of the school, improving the quality of learning for the pupils, but also to promote outdoor activities by creating an environment whereby children can develop both physically and mentally.
Impact
This project has far improved the learning environment for students and local teachers in Van Han. The lessons are no longer conducted in two sessions, which means that afternoons can be used for outdoor activities, such as exercises, sport and games, which supports the physical development of the students. In addition, supplementary teaching can be provided to those whose learning abilities are weaker, which helps them develop further. Since the completion of the project, enrolment numbers have increased from 453 to 541.
The work done to the school buildings also means that students and teachers are now protected from natural disasters such as strong storms and heavy rains because of the new, solid classrooms.
Overall though, this project has allowed the community, school and parents to participate in meaningful community development projects, with joint responsibility, ownership and management, which in turn supports communities in becoming stronger and more capable of developing their community in the future.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Plan staff collaborated closely with the People's Monitoring Board and the Technical Supervisor to monitor the construction of the building. The progress of construction activities and site visits were recorded in the project diary. Plan Vietnam staff also supported the People's Monitoring Board to obtain the technical tests which were required for materials such as doors, windows, tiles and the anti-thunder storm system. This process ensured the quality and durability of materials used in the school construction.
Problems Encountered
The project was completed a little late as it had been raining heavily for a number of days and the electricity had been cut off several times. However, the community group and school officials tried to overcome these difficulties by hiring a power generator to ensure that the project was completed by 30th June 2010. Other work, such as levelling the school playground, was completed before the children returned to school for the new term.
Community Quotes
" Thanks to Plan our dream about a new school has now become reality. Previously, our classrooms were without windows, winter wind blew so cold or in the heavy rain, our books got wet. I still remember the last storm swept all the roofs off some classrooms. Now, all of the teachers and students in our school are so happy because we will be teaching and learning in a new school by the new schooling year this September. I think this solid school will last for a hundred years!". Comment from a student
"The school was designed and constructed in a very economic manner as it is modest but appropriate to the teaching and learning needs for both teacher and student, and its construction has been monitored strictly by various parties. With this school construction, our dream of a school in which our children can learn properly is coming true. Thanks so much to Plan and Study Group." Comment from an elderly villager.
