The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Department of Education and Training in the highland province of Dak Lak launched a one month free swimming class program for the first time on June 15, in which 200 pupils from five pre-school and secondary schools in Buon Ma Thuot city will participate.
The children will be trained in swimming and rescue skills to save drowning people, aimed at reducing the number of drowning cases in the province.
The province has the highest drowning rate in the country. 52 toddlers died of drowning in 2010, accounting to 70 percent child drowning accidents in the province.
The central province of Thua Thien-Hue also implemented a campaign to raise residents’ awareness of river accidents. It set up rescue teams to provide round-the-clock first aid in resorts along the beaches. Students in this region will be taught swimming skills, lifesaving and survival techniques.
Hue Help Organization and the Red Cross organized swimming and rescue courses for teachers and 1,200 students in district Phu Loc. Swimming experts from the UK Swimming Organization taught swimming skills.
