The Defence and Security Education Centre (Hai Phong University) is tasked with educating defence and security for students of 14 high schools in Hai Phong city and students of 23 universities and vocational colleges according to Joint Circular No.123/2015/TTLT-BQP-BGDĐT-BLĐTBXH issued on November 5^th, 2015 by the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Education and Training, and Ministry of Labour, War Invalids, and Social Affairs on “Regulations on the organisation and operation of defence and security education centres; and cooperation in defence and security education with colleges and higher education institutions”; and Decision No.2861/QĐ-BQP issued on August 24^th, 2021 by the Ministry of Defence on “Adjusting and supplementing the list of defence and security education links”. This is a very heavy and highly specific task with a lot of specialised knowledge in both theory and practice. Meanwhile, the Centre's teaching staff is lacking in addition to limited defence and security qualifications and knowledge; insufficient teaching facilities, etc. Recognising that, over the past years, by thoroughly grasping the superiors’ directives, resolutions, and guidelines on defence and security education, particularly Directive No.12-CT/TW, issued on May 3^rd, 2007 by the Politburo (the 10^th Tenure) on strengthening the Party's leadership in defence and security education in the new situation, Defence and Security Education Law, and plans and guidelines of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Military Region 3’ National Defence and Security Education Council, the Centre has synchronously implemented measures, successfully completed this important task, been highly appreciated by affiliated schools,  and gradually affirmed its quality, brand, and reputation.

Currently, the complicated and unpredictable developments of the world and regional situation; hostile forces’ promotion of their resistance by plots and operations of “peaceful evolution”, “self-evolution”, and “self-transformation” internally to create excuses for external intervention; and increasingly complex traditional and non-traditional security challenges, developments,... are placing increasingly high demands and requirements on the cause of national defence in general and defence and security education for students - the future owners of the country, in particular. To successfully complete this important task, along with promoting the defence and security education of the whole country, the Centre has determined continue to overcome difficulties and challenges to focus on improving the quality of defence and security education for students and filfiling assigned tasks, especially the main solutions as follows:

Firstly, to focus on building a contingent of staff and lecturers to ensure quantity, quality, and standardisation, considering this as a key factor that determines the quality of defence and security education for students.  In the context that the number of seconded officers - the core force for this subject - is decreasing due to retirement or job transfer, the Centre has actively proposed to the University to focus on recruiting and supplementing teachers, prioritising graduates majoring in defence and security education. To reach the target of having more than 90% of staff and lecturers with university degrees or higher by 2025, the Centre has promoted planning, training, and fostering based on the needs and working positions towards diversifying forms of training and fostering to improve capacity and comprehensive qualifications and ensure standardisation for staff and lecturers. In addition, the Centre has encouraged its staff and lecturers to actively participate in scientific research, especially topics with high practical application and strengthened the participation of lecturers in the good teaching contests organised by the University and the Department of Defence and Security Education (Ministry of Education and Training) to improve professional qualifications, bravery, psychology, methods, and pedagogical skills to meet the requirements of the task.

Students practice firing at the centre

Secondly, to promote innovation in teaching and learning methods in a positive direction. In order for this subject content to keep up with the development of the country's practice, along with research and proper implementation of the content and program under Circular No.02/2017/TT-BGDĐT issued on January 13^th, 2017 and Circular No.05/2020/TT-BGDĐT issued on March 18^th, 2020 by the Ministry of Education and Training and Circular No.10/2018/TT-BLĐTBXH issued on September 26^th, 2018 by the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, the Centre has regularly updated and supplemented new contents on views, undertakings, and guidelines of the Party, policies and laws of the State on military tasks, national defence, protection of the Fatherland, and practical situation. At the same time, it is required that the teaching staff compile electronic lesson plans, and the lectures are illustrated with audios, images, or documentaries on national liberation resistance wars, defence and security activities of localities, to attract students. Faculty teachers have organised lecture approval and teaching trials to promptly draw experience, supplement knowledge, and adjust teaching methods accordingly. In the process of attending classes, lecturers have focused on the application of information technology and use modern teaching facilities to definitively overcome one-way communication and enhance suggestions, guidelines, exchanges, and discussions. Lecturers play the role of guiding, synthesising, answering problems, and promoting the spirit of self-study and self-research of students.

Thirdly, to strengthen the management and training of students and associate learning with training. This is a practical content to create a military environment for students to train and make an important contribution to improving the quality of defence and security education of the Centre. Accordingly, when students come to train, the Centre has arranged and staffed into squads, platoons, and companies; in which, company officers are assigned by seconded officers and lecturers; platoon leaders and squad leaders are selected from students who have the ability to manage and command part-time. The Centre has implemented decentralised management and strictly maintained the daily and weekly regimes to bring the activities of students almost like the military environment.  The management team has regularly paid attention to capturing thoughts, feelings, and health of students to take appropriate management, encouragement, and training measures.

Along with that, the Centre continues to organise extracurricular activities, such as: visiting the Military Region 3 Museum, Naval Museum, and military units stationed in the area, watching documentary films, end-of-course contests, culture, arts and sports activities,... to help students access to military activities, relate with learning content, understand more about the traditions of old generations, train the collective spirit, and create a joyful, healthy atmosphere, excitement, passion for learning. At the end of the course, the Centre conducts review and collects feedback from students on the content, subject program, management, spirit, attitude, responsibility, teaching methods, assurance of facilities, extracurricular activities,... to take measures to promote strengths and overcome limitations to achieve better results in the next courses.

Fourthly, to do a good job of coordinating with affiliated schools. Based on the provisions of Joint Circular No.123/2015/TTLT-BQP-BGDĐT-BLĐTBXH and Decision No.2861/QĐ-BQP, the Centre has strengthened coordination and cooperation with affiliated schools, from the development of school year plans and training sessions to the reception, handover, management, training, and fostering of students during the training period. The Centre has actively grasped the number of students and enrollment targets of affiliated schools to develop training plans suitable to the objects, time of each school, and the ability to ensure accommodation, classrooms, training fields, and training grounds. It has also actively researched and improved teaching contents for high school students towards enhancing experiential activities and life skills. For students from different schools and different majors and levels of study, based on the content and programs of the defence and security education framework promulgated by the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Centre has actively exchanged and agreed with affiliated schools to develop appropriate programs  close to the major and level of training of students to improve the effectiveness of the subject; agreed on subject tuition fees with affiliated schools in accordance with the Government's regulations; informed early the time, training plan, rules, and regulations before students come to train and practice at the Centre so that they can prepare psychologically and determine the responsibility for successfully completing the subject.

Finally, to focus on ensuring facilities and equipment for teaching and learning.  Over the years, the Centre has mobilised many resources, plus the support and assistance of the Department of Militia, Military Region 3’s General Staff, to synchronously assure weapons, equipment, training models and tools, specialised classrooms, costumes... to serve teaching and learning activities. The Centre has also invested in building and putting into operation libraries and traditional rooms to serve students’ research and learning during days off and breaks. It is forecasted that in the coming years, the number of students will continue to increase. To complete the assigned tasks, the Centre will increase investment in repairing and upgrading existing facilities, purchasing new and modern technical equipment for teaching and learning; and report and propose to the superiors to invest funds for basic construction and expansion of the Centre in the phase 2 under the approved roadmap to better meet the tasks of defence and security education in the area and  contribute to instilling patriotism and national pride and raising the awareness and responsibility of the young generation in building and defending the Fatherland in the new situation.

Senior Colonel PHAM DINH THANG, Deputy Director of Defence and Security Education Centre, Hai Phong University