National defence and security education for students who are the future owners of the country is of utmost significance. Due to the requirements and tasks of constructing and safeguarding the Fatherland in the current context and comprehensive renovation of education and training, ministries, sectors, and localities are required to pay due attention to leading, directing, inspecting, and urging for even better implementation of this pivotal task.

Students represent a force with youthful vigour, aspirations, and the capacity to absorb modern knowledge, scientific and technological advances - an essential resource in the cause of national construction and defence. However, since they are in the process of personality development and refinement, without proper education and guidance regarding political ideology, ideal goals, knowledge, skills, etc., their sense of responsibility towards the cause of national construction and defence can be easily misled in terms of perception and action and become politically apathetic, especially the negative influences from the market economy, social networks, propaganda and incitement of hostile and reactionary forces. Being fully aware of this issue, the Party and the State have directed the implementation of national defence and security education for the young generation in general, and students in the national education system in particular. Accordingly, national defence and security education for students has been apparently stipulated in the Laws on National Defence and Security Education. As for primary and lower secondary schools, it is integrated into the content of various subjects in the curriculum. As for upper secondary schools, vocational schools, technical colleges, and universities, national defence and security education are curricular subjects.

Implementing the guidelines of the Party and the State, the Ministry of Education and Training has closely coordinated with other ministries such as the Ministry of National Defence, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, etc. and local authorities to perform National Defence and Security Education for students. Therefore, this task has been seriously led and directed with higher quality. Annually, educational institutions in the national educational system and centres for national defence and security education have delivered lectures for millions of students. Accordingly, students have been fully equipped with the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws on national defence and security, the tradition of fighting against foreign aggressors, subversive activities of hostile forces, and necessary defence and security skills; they all realise their honour and responsibility in the cause of national construction and defence.

Nevertheless, national defence and security education for students remains shortcomings in terms of the building of a contingent of lecturers, teaching organisation, and assurance of materials and training grounds. In particular, several students do not fully grasp the true significance of this subject and view it merely as a requirement for advancing to the next grade or graduation, etc.

At present, the cause of national construction and defence of the Party and the people is witnessing both opportunities and challenges and demanding high requirements. Hostile and reactionary forces are intensifying their subversive activities through the “peaceful evolution” strategy, and promoting “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” with devious tactics. Among their prime targets are the younger generation and students. Simultaneously, the negative impacts of malicious information on social media impinging on the thoughts and emotions of students become difficult to control on a daily and hourly basis. It is required to strengthen national defence and security education for students to meet the revolutionary requirements and tasks in the new situation. To effectively address this issue, it is imperative to implement the following comprehensive and synchronous measures.

Maj. Gen. Thanh receives the dicision of appointment as Director of the Department of defence and security education under the MOET

First and foremost, continuing to stringently grasp and implement the resolutions, policies, and laws of the Party and the State on national defence and security education for students. Ministries, sectors, and localities, particularly the Ministry of Education and Training along with universities, colleges, high schools, and centres for national defence and security education (referred to as educational institutions) must persistently and deeply adhere to Directive No. 12-CT/TW issued on May 3^rd, 2007 by the Politburo on strengthening the Party's leadership over national defence and security education in the new situation, as well as the Law on National Defence and Security Education. Accordingly, the focus must be placed on enhancing the leadership of party committees at all levels and the responsibilities of the heads of institutions; intensifying propagation and education so that cadres, teachers, lecturers, and students can fully understand the significance and position of this subject; fostering motivation and determination during the implementation process. Educational institutions must stick to the contents and programmes on national defence and security education in Circular No. 46/2020/TT-BGDĐT issued on 24 November  2020, Circular No. 05/2020/TT-BGDĐT issued on 18 March 2020 and Official Dispatch No. 1531/BGDĐT-GDQPAN issued on 20 April 2022 on reviewing the facilities for national defence and security education in universities under the Ministry of Education and Training and continuing to implement appropriate teaching for different education levels. The councils on national defence and security education at all levels must intensify inspection and supervision to promptly draw experience, correct shortcomings, and resolutely combat any manifestations of apathy, negligence, superficial organisation, formality, or shortening of content.

Second, continuing to standardise and improve the quality of teaching staff in charge of national defence and security education in educational institutions. Educational institutions must rely on their organisation, structure, and practical demands to review and develop plans for training, fostering, and utilising the teaching staff to ensure an adequate quantity of high-quality personnel with a rational structure. In the short term, the focus must be put on formulating and requesting the  Government to ratify and implement the Project on training lecturers and teachers for national defence and security education. Emphasis must be placed on training and developing the teaching staff with expertise in the field, postgraduate qualifications, and advanced political theory. It is necessary to thoroughly address the issue that teachers and lecturers teach unrelated professional expertise and achieve balance in terms of age, educational background, foreign language proficiency, and computer skills. Additionally, the cultivation of qualities, competencies, methods, and working styles of the teaching staff must be encouraged to meet the specific requirements of the subject. The Ministry of Education and Training, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defence, should research and propose regulations on the duration of detached military service for centres of national defence and security education, academies, and universities to suit the current situation. Ministries, sectors, and local authorities must pay attention to creating favourable conditions for the teaching staff so that they can bring into full play their enthusiasm and competencies through appropriate encouragement and commendation policies.

Third, continuing to renovate the contents and curriculum for national defence and security education to suit students and the current development. It is imperative to continue the research, refinement, and addition of new, coherent, and duplicate contents and curriculum for national defence and security education for students; supplement and update the Party’s new perception of national defence and security to safeguard the Fatherland. The focus must be on supplementing the Resolution of the 8^th plenum of the Party Central Committee (13^th tenure) on the Strategy to safeguard the Fatherland in the new situation; developing military science and technology as well as the new forms of warfare, tactics, and the modernisation of the Vietnam People's Army and People's Public Security. Moreover, importance must be attached to supplementing the curriculum with new topics regarding conspiracies and schemes such as the “peaceful evolution”, riots of subversion, etc. conducted by hostile forces.

Fourth, actively renovating the methods and forms of national defence and security education for students for the aim of comprehensively developing their quality and competencies. The educational focus should be shifted from knowledge transfer to the comprehensive development of qualities and competencies. Educational institutions are required to renew teaching methods in combination with propagating national defence and security education. Good implementation of organising centralised learning is to maintain the order and regimes of the military environment; closely combine training, management, self-discipline, and physical training to establish methods, manners, awareness of organisation, discipline, collective spirit, military skills, and teamwork. During the teaching process, attention must be paid to applying information technology and simulation technology; combining the organisation of extra-curricular activities to reduce rigidity and monotony as well as create an engaging and appealing learning environment. Simultaneously, emphasis must be put on instructing students, especially those collecting and studying national defence and security and international political situations; developing political stances and an accurate understanding of national defence and security, especially the viewpoints on social media, etc. This aims to encourage students to study; mature in thinking and action; enhance necessary military and security skills; foster self-discipline; improve physical fitness and health; employ scientific work methods and styles; apply theoretical knowledge to practical learning and work; promote a spirit of dedication and sacrifice for the cause of safeguarding the Fatherland to lay a foundation for discovering and selecting human resources to build the people's armed forces.

Fifth, mobilising all investment resources to modernise the facilities and equipment for national defence and security education in educational institutions. This specialised subject encompasses the practice of military skills. Thus, to enhance the quality of this subject, ministries, sectors, and local authorities are required to keep an eye on this issue and actively coordinate to ensure sufficient budget, facilities, and equipment in accordance with the requirements of the subject at each level especially weapons, practice training models, uniforms, training grounds, classrooms, books, and reference documents. In addition to the investments of higher echelons, educational institutions must proactively bring into play their internal resources, promote initiatives, and improve teaching models and tools to ensure effective teaching.

National defence and security education for students is a strategically significant and long-term task. It is a pivotal content in the building of all-people national defence and people's security. It falls under the responsibility of the entire political system and the people. Therefore, this task requires attention and efforts to contribute to national construction and defence in the new situation.

Major General, Dr TRAN NGOC THANH, Director General of Department of National Defence and Security Education, Ministry of Education and Training