Representatives cut the ribbon to kick off the School Milk Festival Day in the southern province of Vĩnh Long. — Photos courtesy of Vinamilk

HÀ NỘI – More than 500 teachers, parents and children attended the School Milk Festival Day, jointly held by the Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company (Vinamilk) and the southern province of Vĩnh Long’s Department of Education and Training on November 24.

This is an activity within the School Milk Programme in the 2018-21 period implemented by Vĩnh Long Province.

Vĩnh Long Province has built many programmes to support the growth of children and invest in high-quality human resources for the locality in the future, in which the “School milk for children in public preschools and primary schools in the period 2018-21” project aims at improving the nutritional status of preschool and primary students, thereby helping them develop both physically and mentally.

A model of a school built using milk cartons.

With the companionship of Vinamilk, which has supplied and coordinated with local authorities to implement the School Milk Programme in the 2019-2020 school year, the programme has recorded many encouraging results, creating a premise for expanding the range of children to enjoy milk from the 2020-21 school year.

By November 2020, there were 283 kindergartens and primary schools, with a total of more than 46,300 public preschool and primary school children, drinking milk under the School Milk Programme.

Director of the Department of Education and Training of Vĩnh Long Province Trương Thanh Nhuận said in the first year of implementation, the community awareness about drinking milk has been enhanced, marking an important step in increasing the stature and fitness of local children.

“With the initial effectiveness of the School Milk Programme, the awareness of parents and administrators in educational institutions have been significantly improved,” Nhuận said.

We will actively advise local authorities to continue expanding the target so that all children in the province can enjoy school milk,” she added.

Doctors check children's health on the festival day.

This result is thanks to the close guidance of local leaders and close coordination among relevant agencies, especially educators and teachers. This School Milk Festival is also an opportunity to look back on the journey of the first year implementing the School Milk Programme as well as acknowledging the contributions of relevant agencies, thereby setting an effective implementation direction for the next school year.

Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Bích, a teacher of Trần Đại Nghĩa Primary School in Vĩnh Long City, said because of her love for children, she chose to be a teacher.

“I have been teaching for 26 years. The School Milk Programme is very meaningful, helping children receive essential nutrients for the full growth of their brain and body. In my class, there are now more than 90 per cent of children participating in this programme. Parents are very supportive,” Bích said.

Although there are still many difficulties in the first year of implementation, with the best effort for the students to receive nutritional care right from their school seats, millions of boxes of milk are regularly sent to students, ensuring the effective implementation of the programme.

Students receive milk from their teacher in class.

Practical results after a year of implementation show that the School Milk Programme has received support from the community and parents of students. In addition to being assured of the quality of milk from Vinamilk, a reputable brand, the programme also shares the cost of milk with the parents.

Vĩnh Long is the second province in the Mekong Delta and one of 26 provinces and cities nationwide currently implementing the School Milk Programme. Like many other localities, the programme in Vĩnh Long Province is implemented in the form of socialisation (the provincial budget and Vinamilk support 50 per cent of the cost, while the parents spend the rest.)

The cases of poor and difficult children and children in special circumstances will be supported with 100 per cent of the cost.

The School Milk Festival was attended by Đặng Thị Ngọc Thịnh, member of the Party Central Committee, Vice President of the Vietnamese State, and Chairwoman of the National Fund for Children Sponsorship Council, leaders of ministries and branches and representatives of Vĩnh Long Province and Vinamilk. – VNS