On the afternoon of March 18, 2021, at the headquarters of the DVET, representatives of MoLISA’s departments had a meeting with the ADB Country Director on cooperation priorities for the period of 2022 - 2024.

Attending the meeting were Mr. Truong Anh Dung - Director General of DVET, Ms. Pham Thi Hai Ha, Deputy Director of Department of Social Protection and representatives of other departments and units under DVET, Department of Social Protection and representative from the International Cooperation Department of MoLISA. From the ADB side, there were Mr. Andrew Jeffries, ADB Country Director and ADB experts.

Overview of meeting

At the meeting, Director General Truong Anh Dung said: According to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1489 / QD-TTg dated November 6, 2018 approving the orientation of attracting, managing and using ODA and concessional loans from foreign donors in the 2018-2020 period, with a vision of 2021-2025, affirming that the attraction of ODA capital is concentrated in priority for the field / group of projects to support the implementation 3 breakthroughs in the Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2011-2020, which include VET sector. Therefore, attracting ODA investment from foreign donors, especially using ADB's assistance in the VET sector, is very necessary. On that basis, the DVET has identified some of the following main orientations for the period of 2022-2024: Striving to 2025, about 70 schools will be assessed and recognized for high quality colleges in which 03 schools approached the level of developed countries in the G20 group, 40 schools approached the level of ASEAN-4 countries. To achieve this, DVET wants ADB to continue its support to invest in facilities and equipment for colleges with good training capacity and nearly reaching the standards of high-quality colleges to get accredited, recognized as high quality colleges. At the same time, increasing the non-refundable aid that comes with loans to support the training of disadvantaged groups, ethnic minorities ... contributes to sustainable poverty reduction, inclusion, reduction of re-poverty, improvement of life, increased people's income, especially in poor areas, rural areas; create favorable conditions for the poor, poor households as well as the people to access basic social services in the social security system. Director General Truong Anh Dung asked ADB to focus on providing technical assistance to DVET to promote areas such as: completing policy mechanisms in the field of VET, focusing on building and implementing the Strategy for the development of VET in the period of 2021-2030; promote digital transformation, strengthen cooperation with enterprises, continue to invest in order to green, digitize VET, improve training quality, and recognize regional and international to support labor mobility; developing the national vocational skill assessment and certification system; Pilot and support vulnerable subjects ...

Dr. Truong Anh Dung, Director General of DVET at the meeting

Regarding social protection, Ms. Pham Thi Hai Ha, Deputy Director of Social Protection Department shared information related to social welfare policies. The two sides also agreed to promote the development and implementation of the Project to improve the quality of long-term care services for the elderly and disadvantaged groups.

At the meeting, the two sides also discussed the progress of developing the project "Skills and knowledge program for inclusive economic growth - phase II" using ADB's ODA resource on the basis of results achieved from "Skills and knowledge program for inclusive economic growth- phase 1" and the improving the quality of long-term care services for the elderly and disadvantaged groups.

  Ms. Pham Thi Hai Ha, Deputy Director of Social Protection Department/ MoLISA at the meeting

Sharing at the meeting, the ADB representative presented the financial plan of ADB for the period 2022-2024 and information on priorities for cooperation with Vietnam in the period 2021-2025 including: (i) promoting growth blue; (ii) strengthening social security and inclusion, with a focus on the development of VET programs and skills development for sustainable development and (iii) SME support. ADB also shared the changes in the financial mechanism for ADB's loan projects in the coming time and committed to trying to assist Vietnam to achieve its objectives in the best possible way, in the context of Vietnam is considered a successful country in the fight against the Covid pandemic and a safe destination. In addition to financial assistance projects, ADB is committed to providing technical assistance to the priority of vocational education development such as: supporting the development and implementation of the Strategy for the development of VET, and support VET for the disadvantaged groups and the elderly, digital transformation in VET ...

 General Director Truong Anh Dung handed souvenir to Mr Andrew Jeffries

At the end of the meeting, General Director Truong Anh Dung highly appreciated ADB's support to MoLISA and confirmed that DVET and the Department of Social Protection are committed to implementing and promoting effectively the loans supported by ADB./.