School year 2002-2003 starts
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.
This is the third consecutive year that Mekong delta provinces organised ceremonies to begin the new school year in the face of flooding.
To ensure that the 2002-03 academic year begin in accordance with the state regulations, Mekong delta provinces spent large amounts on building concrete schools and buying more school aids.
Long An, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, An Giang and Tien Giang provinces, which are the most prone to flooding began using 110 new schools with 250 classrooms to ensure that more than 20,000 school students are able to study despite the flood conditions.
In addition, these provinces have organised child care centres during the flood season.
In the 2002-03 academic year, many provinces and cities such as Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong delta province of Can Tho presented scholarships, schooling aids and bicycles to students of poor families to encourage them to continue studying.--Enditem
