The Vietnamese Government will give 72 billion VND (3.3 million USD)for training students of agriculture, forestry and fisheries at theVietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) in the 2016-2017period.

The funding is part of government decision number873/QD-TTg that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung issued on June 17, toapprove the VNUA's project on experimental operational reform in the2015-17 period. It aims to boost education and training for the threesectors to implement their restructuring plans.

The decision alsoconfirms an increase in the student annual fee for study at the VNUAduring the 2015-16 and 2016-17 periods, which should stand at a maximumof 13 million VND and 14 million VND respectively.

However, thosestudents who choose to study agriculture, forestry and fisheries willhave a chance to benefit from the government funding. Each such studentwould have to pay a lower annual fee of about 6.4 million VND and 7.3million VND for 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively, the decision said.

Thegovernment would provide 40 billion VND and 32 billion VND each for twoyears of the VNUA operational reform, the decision said.

The PMordered the VNUA to finalise all expenditures in purchasing andinstalling necessary equipment for education. The university also hasthe right to supervise its operational activities such as training,research, staff and financing, as well as fee and scholarship planning.

He said the university should continue to implement policies to give priority to poor and meritorious students.-VNA