The scientific conference was attended by Associate Professor, Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities; Dr. Nguyen Cong Thao - Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Conference Sponsor; Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh - Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic Education, Ministry of Education and Training.
Speaking at the opening session of the workshop, Associate Professor Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities said: One of the most important factors that make up an ethnic group and a culture is language. The diversity of languages has contributed to creating a Southeast Asia with many unique and distinctive features in the colorful picture of humanity.
However, in the context of modernization and globalization today, the status and function of many ethnic minority dialects/languages in many Southeast Asian countries are facing existential challenges. The use of spoken and written languages of some ethnic minority communities is increasingly shrinking, even disappearing. This reality requires urgent measures and effective tools to preserve and promote these languages.
Vice Principal Lai Quoc Khanh emphasized: Preserving and promoting the linguistic characteristics of ethnic minorities in Vietnam has always been a top priority policy and guideline that the Vietnamese Party and State attach importance to.
Associate Professor, Dr. Ta Van Thong, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences presented a paper.
According to published studies, the Co Tu language does not have any specific writing system other than a number of Latin scripts developed since the 1950s. The distribution in the two provinces of Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue, along with many different scripts created and used, has led to a lack of uniformity in writing within the Co Tu ethnic community.
Up to now, besides the 8 languages that have been implemented by the Ministry of Education and Training, there are still many other ethnic minority languages that have not appeared on the list but have been tested by the Departments of Education and Training of the provinces to include in the official curriculum, including the Co Tu language.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh - Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic Education, Ministry of Education and Training presented a paper on the actual conditions for teaching ethnic minority languages in general schools.
In this International Scientific Conference, the Organizing Committee received 05 important reports from authors who are Linguists, representatives of State management agencies, teachers of Co Tu language in some localities as well as intellectuals of the Co Tu ethnic group. In addition, there were also delegates from inside and outside the University of Social Sciences and Humanities as well as the Center for Vietnamese Language and Culture. The presentations included:
-Co Tu script in Vietnam(Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ta Van Thong - Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences)
-Conditions for teaching ethnic minority languages in general schools, from policy to practice. (Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh - Deputy Director of Department of Ethnic Education, Ministry of Education and Training).
-The situation of using and teaching Co Tu language for ethnic minorities in recent times in mountainous districts of Quang Nam province(Ms. Aral Mai Tinh - Principal of Tay Giang High School, Quang Nam)
-Current status and results of pilot teaching activities of written Co Tu language - Advantages and challenges in Thua Thien Hue province(MSc. Cao Huu Khoa, Department of Education and Training of Thua Thien Hue province)
-Introduction to the Co Tu writing textbook from grade 1 to grade 5 that has been piloted in Thua Thien Hue province: Reality and challenges(Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Hoanh, Hanoi University of Industry)
At the workshop, the presentations of the delegates analyzed and presented the current status of the Co Tu language scripts and, accordingly, the options for a unified script for the Co Tu people in Vietnam. The discussion session at the workshop also provided objective assessments of the teaching of the Co Tu script as well as the accompanying teaching conditions at different levels of education.
The opinions at the workshop will guide the next specific activities to ensure the development of a program to bring the Co Tu language into official teaching at the secondary level in the two provinces of Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam in the near future, moving towards building a single Co Tu script in the future.
