The Japanese government has pledged to grant nearly 700,000 USD innon-refundable aid to Vietnam in the 2014 fiscal year, with a view tosupporting the country to mitigate natural disaster risks and improveprimary education.

Documents to this effect were signed in Hanoi on December 24.

Ofthe aid, 214,345 USD will come to the project on enhancing educationcapacity on natural disaster risk mitigation for schools and the coastalcommunity in the central province of Quang Nam.

The project’sbeneficiaries are six coastal areas, namely Hoi An and Tam Ky cities,and Dien Ban, Duy Xuyen, Thang Binh and Nui Thanh provinces.

Through the project, Japan’s lessons and experience in natural disaster fight will be shared to local residents.

Meanwhile,over 482,000 USD will be funded to the project on improving primaryeducation for ethnic minority groups in northern Ha Giang province andcentral Quang Binh and Quang Ngai provinces.

Plan Japan, anon-governmental organisation ensuring children’s rights, willcoordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training and relevantagencies to carry out the project.

The project will focus on theimprovement of education environment by building classrooms, installingsanitary equipment and supplying clean water as well as providingtextbooks and training courses for teachers.

A series ofworkshops will be held to discuss measures to improve programmes andshare teaching methods among teachers while promoting educationalactivities in the localities such as reading festival.-VNA