A swimming class in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – Being aware of the alarming number of drowning deathsamong children in Vietnam, Nguyen Quynh Huong in Ho Chi Minh City took herseven-year-old son to the local swimming pool for lessons.
“This is a skill that’s really necessary,” Huong said.
Like Huong, many parents this summer are taking their children to local poolsto learn how to swim.
At Lan Anh Club of Swimming Pools in District 3, the number of children thissummer rose by nearly 40 percent compared to other times in the year.
Lessons are also taught by coaches at pools at many apartment buildings such asPhu Thanh Building in Tan Phu and Lexington in District 2.
The city People’s Committee has outlined policies to reduce the number ofdrowning fatalities by 6 percent annually, compared to the figure in 2016.
Duong Van Thu, head of educational division in Can Gio district, tells GiaoDuc Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (HCM City Education) newspaper that the cityprovides a subsidy of 200,000 VND (8.8 USD) to each student in the district,which has 22,161 ha of rivers and canals but only 17 percent of the district’sstudents know how to swim.
The district has only two swimming pools, including one at a primary school andanother located in a town, Thu says, adding that they cannot meet the demand ofthousands of students.
The division has asked the district People’s Committee to set up mobileswimming pools at schools.
Ho Minh Long, head of Nguyen Binh Khiem Club of Swimming Pools in District 1,says the club cooperates with schools and residential areas each year tocommunicate the benefits of swimming and offer free lessons for third gradersand above.
Staff picks up children and takes them to the club, while those with financialdifficulties are provided swimwear and goggles.
For the last seven years, free lessons have been provided to about 30,000children.
After 16 classes, children know how to swim, while 90 percent of the childrenknow how to save others in danger of drowning.
Many of the children have been chosen to take part in the contests, he adds.
In addition, parents have become more aware of the importance of swimmingskills.
In the 2016-17 academic year, the city had 572,714 primary school students whostudied swimming, accounting for more than 45 percent of the total, accordingto the Department of Education and Training.
The number was higher compared to the last several years.
In districts 1, 4, 5, 7 and Go Vap, more than 70 percent of the total number ofstudents were taught swimming.
The districts closely cooperated with owners and clubs of swimming pools intheir localities to offer lessons to students.-VNA
“This is a skill that’s really necessary,” Huong said.
Like Huong, many parents this summer are taking their children to local poolsto learn how to swim.
At Lan Anh Club of Swimming Pools in District 3, the number of children thissummer rose by nearly 40 percent compared to other times in the year.
Lessons are also taught by coaches at pools at many apartment buildings such asPhu Thanh Building in Tan Phu and Lexington in District 2.
The city People’s Committee has outlined policies to reduce the number ofdrowning fatalities by 6 percent annually, compared to the figure in 2016.
Duong Van Thu, head of educational division in Can Gio district, tells GiaoDuc Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (HCM City Education) newspaper that the cityprovides a subsidy of 200,000 VND (8.8 USD) to each student in the district,which has 22,161 ha of rivers and canals but only 17 percent of the district’sstudents know how to swim.
The district has only two swimming pools, including one at a primary school andanother located in a town, Thu says, adding that they cannot meet the demand ofthousands of students.
The division has asked the district People’s Committee to set up mobileswimming pools at schools.
Ho Minh Long, head of Nguyen Binh Khiem Club of Swimming Pools in District 1,says the club cooperates with schools and residential areas each year tocommunicate the benefits of swimming and offer free lessons for third gradersand above.
Staff picks up children and takes them to the club, while those with financialdifficulties are provided swimwear and goggles.
For the last seven years, free lessons have been provided to about 30,000children.
After 16 classes, children know how to swim, while 90 percent of the childrenknow how to save others in danger of drowning.
Many of the children have been chosen to take part in the contests, he adds.
In addition, parents have become more aware of the importance of swimmingskills.
In the 2016-17 academic year, the city had 572,714 primary school students whostudied swimming, accounting for more than 45 percent of the total, accordingto the Department of Education and Training.
The number was higher compared to the last several years.
In districts 1, 4, 5, 7 and Go Vap, more than 70 percent of the total number ofstudents were taught swimming.
The districts closely cooperated with owners and clubs of swimming pools intheir localities to offer lessons to students.-VNA
VNA
