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| Authorities in Phú Thọ Province deploy nearly 100 personnel and 20 vehicles in an overnight search for four missing students. — VNA/VNS Photo Tạ Toàn |
HÀ NỘI – Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Hòa Bình, on behalf of the Prime Minister, has issued a directive, calling for immediate action to strengthen drowning prevention efforts for children and students.
The directive, signed on Tuesday, follows a tragic incident in Hiền Quan Commune, Tam Nông District, the northern province of Phú Thọ, where six students were swept away on Monday.
Two bodies have been recovered, while four students remain missing.
Addressed to the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, local authorities, and the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union, the document lays out both immediate and long-term measures to tackle drowning incidents among children and students.
In Phú Thọ, the chairperson of the provincial People’s Committee and the National Committee for Incident Response and Disaster Relief have been instructed to mobilise all available resources to locate the missing students and provide support to the affected families.
The Government's directive calls for stricter safety measures in schools and localities, urging chairpersons of provincial and municipal People’s Committees to collaborate with organisations like youth unions and women's associations in implementing drowning prevention programmes nationwide.
Local authorities are also tasked with mapping high-risk water areas such as ponds, rivers, and reservoirs, and deploying preventive measures, including fencing, warning signs, and regular reminders.
The directive emphasises the need to increase investment in swimming facilities and promote swimming lessons in schools while raising public awareness through media campaigns.
MoET is tasked with integrating drowning prevention education into school curricula, accelerating the development of training materials, and implementing comprehensive safety programmes in collaboration with families.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs will oversee the enforcement of national safety programmes and intensify inspections in high-risk areas.
Meanwhile, the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union will play a key role in promoting water safety and swimming lessons in schools and communities. — VNS
