Peace Corps volunteers arrive in Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy Peace Corps Vietnam

HÀ NỘI — The second cohort of US Peace Corps volunteers has arrived in Hà Nội, marking their commitment to assist the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) with national English language education priorities.

This move underscores the strong bilateral partnership between the United States and Việt Nam in education and training, as established by the US-Việt Nam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Peace Corps volunteers are set to become the first group to serve at high schools across HCM City starting in January 2024. Their mission is to work closely with local educators, co-teaching English classes, and aiding Vietnamese students in enhancing their English language skills, thus improving their access to educational and employment opportunities.

Peace Corps Vietnam aligns completely with MOET's objectives and operates under the Implementing Agreement, which was signed in 2020, involving both the US and Vietnamese governments, with the Peace Corps and MOET as implementing entities.

Mikel Herrington, the Peace Corps Vietnam Country Director, said the programme's geographical expansion to HCM City corresponds with the international agreement established by the two countries. This expansion signifies the ongoing goodwill as the Peace Corps cultivates relationships and trust with its partners.

He also pointed out that, in the course of their service and even afterward, the volunteers would express their gratitude to the Vietnamese people when talking to their friends and family back home.

Herrington highlighted that Peace Corps volunteers are actively contributing to the development of people-to-people connections and the attainment of long-term prosperity goals emphasised in the recently announced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

For the next 10 weeks, the volunteers will participate in extensive training to strengthen the knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to the local context and work effectively in Vietnam’s educational system. They will attend Vietnamese language classes, sessions on Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), gain familiarity with the school context, and practice co-teaching models with local teachers.

Only volunteers who successfully complete the training programme will be sworn in on December 28 and officially start their service afterwards.

Currently, Peace Corps has nine volunteers serving in Hà Nội.

Peace Corps is an independent agency under the Executive Branch of the US Government which operates a volunteer programme that aims to provide host governments with assistance in their development priorities.

Since the Peace Corps was first established in 1961, over 240,000 Americans have served as volunteers in more than 142 countries. Việt Nam is the 143rd country to invite and partner with the Peace Corps. — VNS