Outcomes of Project to Send 600 Intellectuals to Communes

The Ministry of Interior has launched a program to send 600 young intellectuals to work as Vice Chairpersons of extremely poor communes in 64 districts nationwide.  The 5-year project has helped train young staff for local administrations and has boosted local socio-economic development. The graduates worked in disadvantaged localities with responsibility and enthusiasm. An assessment report said that 97% of the young intellectuals have fulfilled their tasks and actively engaged in local socio-economic development and defense. Ninh Thi Kim Thao, Vice Chairwoman of the Ban Xen commune People’s Committee, Lao Cai province, said “I had to learn about the customs of local ethnic people. I listened to their opinions and their situation before giving them new information and advice. Gradually they understood.” The dynamism and enthusiasm of young graduates brought a fresh working style to the localities. Dien Bien province received 32 people to work as Vice Chairpersons of communal People’s Committees. The young officials got involved in farming and production and encouraged ethnic people to send their children to school, build a cultural lifestyle, and abandon backward customs. At the end of the project, 30 of them were offered new jobs. Mua A Vang, Deputy Head of Dien Bien province’s National Assembly delegation, said “The young intellectuals have instructed people how to grow plants, raise animals, and develop their household economy. They introduced a professional working style to communal activities.” Tran Cong Thuat, Vice Secretary of the Quang Binh provincial Party Committee, said the young deputy heads in Minh Hoa district, have fulfilled their tasks of updating local people on laws and policies concerning environmental protection and new rural development. “The 600 young intellectuals have capitalized on their strengths and practiced what they learnt at universities. The project has been judged successful and we hope it will continue." (english.vov.vn June 24)