The Ministry of Education signed a memorandum of understanding with UNESCO to supply funds-in-trust regarding the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to boost education in Rwanda, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. On the same day, a second memorandum of understanding to cooperate on education was signed with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training.

Cooperation with UNESCO seeks to develop educational content and related teacher training programs utilizing ICT to increase literacy. Goals include spreading results of model schools internationally.

Project execution will be done by UNESCO in the three African nations and starting this year Korea will provide the program with USD 6 million over three consecutive years.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Hwang Woo-yea vowed to make this project a success, like the vocational training project with African nations that first started in 2011. Irina Bokova, UNESCO secretary-general, thanked him for Korea’s support based on its experience with high-tech.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Hwang Woo-yea (left) and Irina Bokova, UNESCO secretary-general, sign a memorandum of understanding to provide funds-in-trust regarding the use of information and communications technology (ICT) to boost education in three African nations, on May 25.

On the same day, Korea and Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on education. This was a follow-up on a suggestion by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Hwang Woo-yea to his Vietnamese counterpart on the occasion of last year’s ASEAN+3 Education Ministers’ Meeting held in September.

The MOU covers: increasing exchange and cooperation in all areas of education; supporting lessons on increasing understanding about each other’s cultures; strengthening the global capacity of teachers; inviting outstanding students in science and engineering to learn more about Korea’s science programs and industry; and, providing aid for Korean language education programs at middle schools and high schools in Vietnam.

Gim Chaechun (left), vice minister of education, and Vietnam’s Nguyen Vinh Hien, vice minister of education and training, sign a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on education, in Songdo, Incheon, on May 21.

Gim Chaechun, vice minister of education, asked for the active participation of Vietnamese students in the invitation program for outstanding ASEAN students who focus on sciences and engineering.

By Paik Hyun
Photos: Ministry of Education
Korea.net Staff Writer
cathy@korea.kr