LINKING GOOD ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE TO POSITIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH
The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) is a joint effort between the Foundation and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry to measure provincial economic governance for private sector development. PCI 2007, the third annual edition, covered all 64 provinces with the participation of 6,700 enterprises to assess and rank the performance of provincial governments in Vietnam. Findings showed the overall standard of provincial economic governance in Vietnam has improved in the past year, particularly in the areas of entry costs, registration, administrative requirements, and inspections. However, PCI 2007 also showed that further progress is needed in a number of key areas such as legal institutions, transparency, labor, and private sector development policies. The PCI has shown direct links between good economic governance and positive economic growth, leading to its usage by government, donors, researchers, investors, and media as an important tool to guide and monitor concrete reform efforts in Vietnam.
INTRODUCTION OF SAFE MIGRATION EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
In rural Vietnam, many children migrate for employment at a very young age. Such migration can provide much-needed income for families, but it can also render children vulnerable to exploitation and even human trafficking. In 2007, the Foundation collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Training’s Center for Education Technology to introduce safe migration education into schools. The project trained local educators on safe migration, labor, and employment issues relevant to young people. The educators then taught students via school-based campaign activities such as writing and art contests, games, and performances. A network of 208 local educators in 58 secondary schools, high schools, and continuing education centers participated in the program in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and An Giang provinces. With more than 20,000 students participating, the contest had a far-reaching impact on parents and teachers as well.