Ba Ria - Vung Tau is situated in the southern focal economic area with a coastline of 305km and a marine economic exclusive zone of 297,000 km2. The province has huge fishing grounds and biggest oil and gas reserves of the country. It is also an energy, heavy industry, tourist, and port hubs. These are the advantages for the province to develop its economic with fast pace but there, of course, accompany several complicacies in defense and security, especially in the field of political security, social safety and order, and the protection of sea and islands. Fully aware of its advantages and challenges, the province has always paid attention to well implementing the local defense and military work in which defense and security education has always been defined as a focal and regular task.

Review conference on defense and security education in 2018 of the province

In order to keep the work on track and realize the set out goals, the Provincial Military Command has actively advised the Provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee to strengthen leadership and direction over this important work, while consolidating and improving the operation of the Councils for defense and security education at all levels. Basing on the advice of the Provincial Military Command, the province has thoroughly grasped the Directive No.12-CT/TW of the Politburo (10^th tenure); the Law on Defense and security education; the directives and instructions of the MR7’s Council for defense and security education. It then promulgated several documents for leading and directing the implementation of the work in accordance with the situation of the locality, and brought into play the synergy of the whole political system for implementing the work. As of the first half of 2019, the Provincial Military Command advised the Provincial People’s Committee to issue 12 documents directing this work. As a Permanent Office of the Provincial Council for defense and security education, the Provincial Military Command has actively screened and proposed measures for perfecting the council and directed its affiliates to act accordingly so that the councils at all levels are sufficiently staffed, well structured and operate effectively. Because the province is a coastal one with 28 races and various religions, the Provincial Military Command has advised the Provincial Council for defense and security education to direct its localities to hold training for ship owners, motel owners, entrepreneurs, religious dignities, and managers in the industrial zones. At the same time, it has strengthened supervision, checking, review to overcome shortcomings, and discover and multiply the good models. As a result, defense and security education has been implemented in a synchronous, comprehensive, widespread manner with increasing quality and highly rated by the MR7.

Facing the new developments of the mission of national construction and defense, and the local reality, the Provincial Military Command has advised the province to renew and improve the quality and effectiveness of the work. Besides the required programs, the province has actively updated and supplemented new contents, such as: Vietnam Defense Strategy; the Strategy for Fatherland protection in the cyberspace; the Strategy for National border protection; the Strategy for Vietnam’s marine economy sustainable development until 2030 with a vision to 2045, etc with relevance to the province reality and the trainees. The decentralization in the management and training has been strictly sustained and implemented in line with regulations. Since 2015 to date, the province has sent 231 class-1 and class-2 cadres to defense and security training courses held by the centre and the MR7; directly held training for 1,812 class-3 cadres; directed its districts to hold training for 11,225 class-4 cadres. Besides, its districts have coordinated with functional agencies to hold training for religious dignities, ship owners, fishermen, entrepreneurs, etc. Notably, in June 2019, the province successfully held training for more then 1,600 Buddhist followers, hence yielding valuable experience. To improve the quality of defense and security training, the province has made investments and upheld the roles of the Provincial Military School and the centers for political training of the districts; high skill and well trained cadres of the Provincial Military Command, the Provincial Public Security, the Provincial Border Guard Command, the Provincial Propagation Commission have been chosen and appointed as trainers; leaders of the province and the MR7 were invited to brief the important topics. Besides theoretical study, learners also go on field trips to observe defensive area exercises, study the defense - economic combined models, etc, thereby enriching their practical experience.

At present, there are over 33 thousand students in the province, making up huge demand for defense and security training. To improve the quality of the work for students, prior to each academic year, the Provincial Military Command directs the Provincial Military School and the district military offices to coordinate with the schools in their areas of operation to hold training for teachers in charge of the subject. Besides, the schools have been proactive in changing methodology towards active teaching method and applying ICT in their teaching. The Provincial Military Command has directed military offices in the locality to coordinate and assist the school to ease the shortages in teachers and facilities for the subject. In addition, the province has also held Defense and Security Contests, “Military  term”, historical relic visit, guest talk, etc. Thereby, students are not only equipped with necessary defense and security knowledge and skills but their personality, patriotism, and enthusiasm for devotion are also nurtured as well. With such synchronous measures, the quality of education has been increasingly enhanced; 100% of the students are trained in accordance with the set-out requirements and goals.

In order to spread defense and security knowledge through out the province, it has promoted the role of the disseminators, and mass media. Annually, the Provincial Military Command advise the Provincial Council for Defense and security education to coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications and related agencies to build plans and programs for propagation in the mass media. The “All people’s defense” and “For the Homeland Security” programs are weekly broadcast on the local radio and television and press. Thereby, the Party and State’s guidelines and policies, the defense, military, security, social safety and order situation in the province are opportunely updated. It has also coordinated with functional agencies to enhance the operation of the Force 47 on cyberspace, hence resolutely refuting and combating against wrongful arguments of hostile forces. Especially, the province requires its armed forces to proactively engage in local socio-economic development, hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, building new style countryside, strengthen public work, and disseminate defense and security knowledge for ordinary people. Thereby, the military - civilian solidarity is strengthened, the “people’s heart and mind posture” is established from the grassroots. Besides, the province has also integrated the education into artistic, cultural, sport events, and the activities of socio-political organizations, contributing to building and consolidating people’s belief in the Party and the regime, and promoting their role in building the all people’s defense posture and people’s security posture.

Because Ba Ria - VUng Tau is a coastal province with large number of boats and ships operating on sea, the Provincial Military Command has directed military commands of coastal districts to promote the role of the marine militia and self-defense force; together with functional offices to disseminate defense and security knowledge to fishermen so that they are aware of the Party and State’s policies on developing marine economy in association with protecting the sovereignty over sea and islands. At the same time, it has coordinated with the Border Guards and marine law enforcers to conduct legal dissemination to each ship and household to enhance their awareness of Vietnam’s laws and the laws of neighboring countries, international laws when conduct fishing. Thereby, fishermen are able to respond to situations on sea, stick to their fishing activities, and contribute to protecting the sea and island sovereignty of the country.

With strong leadership and direction, strong determination and great effort of party committees and authorities at all levels, and the core role of the provincial armed forces, defense and security education of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province has become increasing effective and widespread, serving well for the accomplishment of defense and security tasks and contributing to safeguarding the political security, social safety and order which is a favorable condition for the fast and sustainable development of the province.

Senior Colonel Nguyen Tam Hung, Vice Commander and Chief of Staff of the Provincial Military Command