Hau Giang province is situated in the Mekong River Delta, with a natural area of 1,622.23 km2, a population of over 733,000 people, 08 districts and 75 communes, in which 34 communes, wards and townships are key defence and security areas. In recent years, despite being significantly affected by climate change, natural disasters and diseases, especially the Covid-19 pandemic, the Party committee, authorities, armed forces and people in the province have always stayed united, overcome difficulties, strived to maintain its political security, social order and safety, and promoted socio-economic development. However, due to its low starting point and other different reasons, the province's economic growth and living standards of a number of people in the province are still at low levels, while the number of poor households remain high, accounting for 6.45% of the population. Meanwhile, hostile and reactionary forces take advantage of limitations related to state and social management; issues on "democracy", "human rights", " freedom of religion” to conduct their schemes of propaganda, distortion and sabotage. In addition, social order and safety in some localities of the province, especially in rural areas, still has potential instabilities. Moreover, natural disasters and diseases happen complicatedly; the prices of a number of essential goods are on the rising trend, significantly impacting the life of the people and the armed forces. Faced with that reality, the province focuses its leadership and direction to strengthen defence and security education for targeted subjects and the whole people, in order to create unity in awareness and action in the performance of military and defence tasks.

 First of all, strengthening the leadership and direction of the party committees and local authorities in defence and security education, to create a high consensus among officials, party members and people. Thoroughly grasping Directive No. 12-CT/TW, dated May 3, 2007 of the Politburo on strengthening the Party's leadership in defence and security education in the new situation; Law on Defence and Security Education, Government decrees and decisions, and legal documents on defence and security education, the Provincial Military Command as the Standing Body of the Provincial Council for Defence and Security Education, has regularly advised the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee on guidelines and measures to lead, direct, plan, and effectively implement this important task. Thereby, the Councils for defence and security education at all levels advise the respective local Party committees and authorities to perfect, promulgate and deploy a synchronous system of guiding documents relevant to specific objects and localities. As a result, the province's defence and security education has been deployed synchronously to the grassroots level, maintained in order, and has seen steady developments.

Conducting defence and security education for religious dignitaries

Along with that, the province focuses on consolidating  the Councils for defense and security education at all levels, ensuring appropriate structure, composition and operation in accordance with regulations. The members of the Councils have promoted well their roles of advising, directing, and implementing the tasks of defence and security education of agencies and units in accordance with law. The Councils for defence and security education at all levels implements the education of defence and security knowledge for the subjects as stipulated in Circular No. 172/2020/TT-BQP, dated December 30^th, 2020 of the Minister of National Defence. In addition, the Provincial Council for defence and security education strictly adheres to the inspection regime of defence and security education according to decentralisation; the Provincial Military Command has coordinated with the Department of Education and Training to develop a plan to inspect the work of defence and security education in high schools.

Seriously and effectively implementing defence and security education programs and contents for subjects are regularly focused by the province. Pursuant to Decree 13/2014/ND-CP, dated February 25, 2014 and Decree 139/2020/ND-CP, dated November 27, 2020 of the Government, the approved defence and security education plan, every year, the Standing bodies of the Councils for defene and security education at all levels advise their respective Party committees and authorities to review and send tier-1 and tier-2 subjects to training courses held by higher levels. At the same time, they also well hold training courses on defence and security for tier-3 and tier-4 subjects. The courses have helped officials and party member improve their awareness and responsibilities manifested in their deeper awareness of the Party's viewpoints and guidelines, and the State's policies and laws on defence and security; firmly grasp the plots and tricks of "peaceful evolution", riots and subversion of hostile forces against Vietnamese revolution. Thereby, they can develop sound action plans to successfully realise two strategic tasks of building and defending the Fatherland in the new situation.

As there are 14 registered religious organisations in operation, 159 worship establishments, 127 folk belief establishments, with 512 dignitaries, and 206,298 followers, accounting for 26.7% of its population, the province focuses on directing its localities to actively coordinate with religious organisations to hold defence and security training courese for religious dignitaries, owners of the establishments, and reputable people among religious followers, so that they can raise their awareness of the task of building and defending the Fatherland, and realise hostile forces’ conspiracy to take advantage of the racial and religious issues. Thereby, they will lead a good life and conduct good religion practices, unite and join hands in the protection and socio-economic development of the localities. As for pupils and students - an important human resource for the construction and defence of the Fatherland, implementing the direction of the Province, the Provincial Military Command closely cooperates with the Department of Education and Training, the schools and higher education institutions in the locality to implement the training and arrangement of defence and teachers for national defense and security education according to Decision No. 607/QD-TTg, dated 24^th April, 2014 by the Prime Minister. To date, high schools in the province have basically employed enough defence and security teachers.

Along with that, in order to make defence and security education for pupils and students unified and synchronised, the province requires the Hau Giang Community College and the Southern Law College to closely coordinate with the Centres for Defence and Security Education to cary out the work. The Provincial Department of Education and Training implements Circular No. 01/VBHN-BGD&DT dated January 2, 2014 of the Ministry of Education and Training on promulgating the list of minimum teaching equipment for the teaching and learning of defence and security knowledge in universities, colleges, vocational schools, high schools, etc. As a result, 100% of students are taught this subject with correct contents and programs. Teaching and learning equipment and facilities are ensured and exploited effectively. The quality of teaching and learning this subject, therefore, has been improved positively, focusing on practical contents. The schools also integrate the content of sovereignty of border, sea, and islands of the Southwestern region into their lectures. This method has helped pupils and students understand the basic contents of the Party's military line, State policies and laws on national defence and security, the resistance tradition of the nation; arouse their patriotism, national pride, and clearly grasp the plots and tricks of hostile forces against our country's revolution. At the same time, it also equips them necessary military knowledge and skills, nurturing their disciplined lifestyle as a basis for career guidance and enrollment in the armed forces for Fatherland protection and construction.

In order to raise the awareness of all people about national defence and security, create a high unanimity right from the grassroots level, the Provincial Military Command coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications, Radio - Television, Public Security, Propaganda Commission, Vietnam Fatherland Front of the province to develop and issue propaganda and education programs on defence and security on mass media with appropriate volume, focusing on the lines and views of the Party, policies and laws of the State on national defence and security; local political tasks, and operations of the provincial armed forces. To make it effective, the province regularly renews the contents and forms. In addition to propaganda on mass media, it also dispatches its officials and reporters to directly propagate and mobilise the people. As a result, people’s awareness and responsibility have been raised. They have also better understood, trusted and strictly adhered to the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws in performing the task of national construction and defence in the new situation.

The solutions and results achieved in implementing defence and security education in the past time are an important basis for Hau Giang to further promote this work in the coming time, contributing to building the spiritual and political potential and a firm "people's heart and mind posture", maintaining the stability of the localities for the fast and sustainable development of the province.

Senior Colonel PHAM VAN THAN, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Commander of the Provincial Military Command, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial Council for Defence and Security Education