Today is Safer Internet Day and ChildFund is working with children, families and their communities to make sure that children have the knowledge and skills to stay safe while learning and interacting with their peers online.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen widespread school closures and lockdowns, meaning that there are more children using the internet than ever before. While it has allowed them to stay connected to their friends and to continue their education, it has also put them at greater risk of online exploitation.
To respond to this increased risk, ChildFund Vietnam launched an online internet safety course to teach children how they can stay safe online during periods of extended lockdown. This training is an extension of the Swipe Safe program launched in 2019.
The Swipe Safe program, now in its second phase, has been launched in the Bac Kan, Cao Bang and Hoa Binh Provinces. In the first phase of the program, training sessions about online safety were delivered face-to-face in classrooms, but as the virus continued to spread, these sessions were moved online.
ChildFund held two training courses in December for children impacted by the lockdowns. Working with government stakeholders, ChildFund used online platforms to bring together children from across the country to teach them about information security, setting passwords, sharing information and exploring what is safe to share online. They also discussed how they can access help if they feel unsafe online.
These sessions were designed to be interactive, fun and stimulating. During the training, children can take quizzes and score themselves against their peers, creating a friendly competition between the students that keeps them engaged in the content.
One mother, Ms. Nga said: “At first I thought my child would only attend the two mandatory sessions. But the next day my child was so excited that she kept reminding me to let her eat dinner early so she could attend class on time.”
She believes that by making the curriculum entertaining, children are more engaged. “I think that the teaching method used by ChildFund Vietnam is really great. It helps the children relax and enjoy the class but still helps them absorb useful information.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to see more and more children using the internet and ChildFund does not expect this to change any time soon. Beyond Safer Internet Day ChildFund is committed to empowering children with the knowledge of online safety and the resources to get help when they need it, so that they can make the most of the online world.
Dedicated teachers and parents can make all the difference to a child’s education. This World Education Day, we’re celebrating Mr. Chung, a dedicated parent who is making sure his and other children at a boarding school in Bac Kan Province, Vietnam have a safe, healthy space to learn.
Chung has been a been involved with the boarding school for four years and knows that accessing education in rural Vietnam can be challenging, but he is committed to making sure his children have a place to learn. “No matter how difficult problems are, I will never give up trying to give the children a good education,” he said.
In January 2022, ChildFund Vietnam collaborated with teachers and parents to improve the boarding school’s facilities through its Safe and Supportive Semi Boarding Schools project, by doing helping to build a kitchen school canteen, renovating boarding rooms and has provided blankets, mosquito nets and other necessities. This helped the school’s 30 students live more comfortably there.
Children at the school used to travel five to six kilometres from a nearby town, and had to cross steep slopes and rocky hillsides. Due to lack of housing, kitchens and cafeteria staff, parents like Chung must take turns staying at the school to care for the students.
The parents come together once a year to create a schedule for the year and decide when each parent will stay at the school. Together, the parents constructed a kitchen to help with daily food preparation. The kitchen is stocked with cooking utensils and every week parents deliver rice, vegetables, meat and eggs for the students to make their meals.
At the end of each day when the school bell goes, children fill the schoolyard playing and laughing. Then they go to the kitchen to prepare their own rice bowls.
Although Chung loves caring for the children, he acknowledges it is extremely challenging given his limited access to resources and infrastructure. “I can’t always care for all 30 students that board. I can only do so much, and I must look after my own children too. So sometimes the children must look after themselves. When they have an issue though, they let me know and I can usually help.”
The ‘Safe and Supportive Semi-Boarding Schools’ project brings together parents and educators to improve the quality of life and education that boarding students in Vietnam experience, so that they can learn in a safe, healthy space. There is also a specific focus on ensuring children from ethnic minorities have access to the same level of education.
“Since having a kitchen and the parent roster, the needs of the children at the boarding house have been completely taken care of,” said Chung when asked how the project had improved the boarding school.
ChildFund is committed to partnering with local communities to ensure that projects like this provide children with the best possible access to quality education – particularly for those living in hard-to-reach places.
