Participants at the meeting to kickstart the project on improving transportation infrastructure and enhancing traffic organisation around schools in Việt Nam, held in Hà Nội by the AIP Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Construction on May 22. — Photo from AIP Foundation

HÀ NỘI — A new two-year nationwide programme has been launched today, aiming for improved road safety for over 18.3 million students across Việt Nam.

Many children still face hazardous journeys every day, often walking without pavements and sharing roads with fast-moving vehicles. Traffic speeds near schools frequently exceed internationally recommended limits for school zones.

US-based nonprofit AIP Foundation, selected by the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) as the implementing partner, will be scaling up its Safe School Zone Guides and support the establishment of such zones across the country. It will work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Construction, Quảng Ngãi Province authorities, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO).

“The United Nations Road Safety Fund is proud to support the scale-up of safe school zones across Việt Nam. The road to education must not be a road to danger. Through this new Safe School Zones programme, the Fund is investing in sustainable, scalable solutions that help create safer road environments where they are most urgently needed, around schools," the Head of the UN Road Safety Fund Secretariat, Nneka Henry, said.

"By supporting the development of a national legal framework and piloting model zones, this project aims to set a precedent not only for Việt Nam, but for the region, showing how targeted funding can unlock systemic change and protect the next generation,” he added.

To kickstart the programme, a launch meeting was hosted in Hà Nội by AIP Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Construction.

The meeting was in order to help the participants understand better the programme's objectives, scope and expected outcomes, as well as how their roles contribute to its success. The participants were introduced to the timeline, key activities and milestones, and learned about the communication and coordination processes to ensure effective collaboration. The meeting also provided an opportunity to identify potential risks and discuss strategies to address them early.

Key participants at the meeting included representatives of the Ministry of Construction, the National Traffic Safety Committee and the Department for Roads of Việt Nam on the national level. Provincial governments will play a key role, along with representatives from the Quảng Ngãi Department of Construction, the Department of Education and Training and the Traffic Safety Committee. International partners from UNESCAP, WHO, UNICEF and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office Việt Nam also attended. 

Participants at the meeting to kickstart the project on improving transportation infrastructure and enhancing traffic organisation around school areas in Việt Nam, held in Hà Nội by AIP Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Construction on May 22. — Photo from AIP Foundation

The Ministry of Construction welcomed the programme as it contributes to improving transportation infrastructure and enhancing traffic organisation around schools in Việt Nam. "This programme aims to reduce injuries and fatalities among students involved in road traffic accidents, aligning with the objectives of the National Strategy on Road Traffic Order and Safety for the 2021–30 period, with a vision toward 2045, as well as Directive No. 31/CT-TTg dated December 21, 2023, issued by the Prime Minister on strengthening traffic safety for students in the current context," Deputy Director at the Transportation and Traffic Safety Department from the Ministry of Construction Hoàng Thế Tùng said.

The programme aims to contribute to reducing traffic injuries and fatalities by developing recommendations for establishing criteria, models, standards and regulations for traffic-safe school zones in Việt Nam. This will be achieved by gathering evidence on school zone safety, providing capacity training for key government stakeholders, piloting model school zones in selected provinces and promoting awareness of the community. 

The programme will build upon ongoing efforts to support establishing standardised school zones around the country. Under the scope of work by the AIP Foundation, the Safe School Zones Guide was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport of Việt Nam, with funding support from the FIA Foundation.

The Zones Guide was endorsed by the Ministry of Transport in August 2023 and has been used to implement infrastructure modifications at schools in Việt Nam to demonstrate the approach's benefits. These activities aim to promote and support the goal of ensuring every child has a safe journey to school.

“This inspiring programme launch shows what’s possible when Government, communities and partners come together with a shared vision, to save lives and protect children. As an international NGO in Việt Nam, we are proud to support and drive forward practical, evidence-based solutions like this safe school zones programme, because every step toward safer roads is a step toward a stronger, more equitable future for all,” CEO of AIP Foundation Mijam Sidik said. — VNS