14^th September 2013 - On the occasion of the new school year and the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival, Hoang Long and Hoan Vu Joint Operating Companies (HLHVJOC's) and the People Committee of Lien Chau Commune organised the Hand-over Ceremony and operations commencement of the local kindergarten.

Photo: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the school operation commencement

It was an honour  to have the presence at the Hand-over Ceremony of Mr. Ngo Van Du - Politburo Member, Head of the Commission for Inspection of the Party Central Committee, Dr. Ngo Huu Hai - Vice President and COO of PVEP; the donors were represented by Dr. Cu Xuan Bao - General Manager, Mr. Anthony Roche - Deputy General Manager of HLHVJOC’s; Mr. Phung Anh Ket - Secretary of the local People’s Committee - representatives of sponsored unit, Leaders of the Provincial and Communal Party Committee, Officials together with children, teachers and local residents.

Photo: Vast paddy field in front of the new school

Lien Chau Commune is an agricultural commune of Yen Lac District, Vinh Phuc Province with an area  of 8,56 square kilometers, a population of 9,200 people, and a  population density of over 850 people/ km². Lien Chau Commune was honoured to be chosen as one of the three role model communes for the new rural implementation programme.

The new kindergarten is one of the important elements of the local education system, particularly as the old one, built in  the 1980s’, had deteriorated with age, and as a result of the rising pre-school education demand of Lien Chau Commune and a limited Government budget. Consequently the Communal People’s Committee called for donations from local and out-of-province donors to build  a kindergarten in keeping with the teaching and learning standards of the area and capable of  promoting its tradition of study and educational attainment.

Photo: New elegant kindergarten

Hoang Long and Hoan Vu JOC’s are two petroleum companies jointly operated by their Vietnam shareholder PetroVietnam Exploration and Production Corporation (PVEP of PetroVietnam) and their Foreign Partners SOCO (United Kingdom), PTTEP (The Kingdom of Thailand) and OPECO (United States) . HLHVJOC is currently the second biggest oil and gas operator in Vietnam with the Te Giac Trang and Ca Ngu Vang Fields offshore Vietnam. Supporting the Government’s socialisation programme for educational and new rural establishment, the JOCs, from their establishment, have made donations to construct many schools, medical clinics,  rehabilitation centres, bridges and roads with overall donations  amounting to US$ 2 million.

Photo: Representatives planted memorial trees in front of the new kindergarten

Lien Chau Commune kindergarten was sponsored by HLHVJOCs with an amount at US$100,000. Its area covers 0.4 hectares and it was constructed in one year with a two story building and 8 classrooms to meet its educational requirements. After the Kindergarten commences operations, at least 200 local pre-school children will benefit from the project.

Photo: Children and teachers meet the representatives

The happy faces of children at their new school together with the determination of the teachers signal a strong belief that this new kindergarten will contribute greatly to local pre-school education.