The potential of education to empower: the perceptions of ethnic minority women in Vietnam

Ethnic minority young women are under-represented in Vietnamese secondary schools. There are a number of young women who have never attended school, while others have dropped out or poorly performed within this system. The reasons for this lack of access, and the history of this underperformance, are complicated. Many research studies have been conducted on these issues, however very few give an emic (insider’s) view or focus on these women’s perspectives on their own education. Under the theoretical umbrellas of Women In Development (WID) and Human Development (HD), this study attempted to understand the challenges and opportunities facing these young women during their secondary education. It simultaneously focused on their perceptions of the value of secondary education and the strategies that have enabled them to succeed, against the odds, within this system. A mixed methods design was employed to capture the educational experiences and success stories of young women in ethnic minority areas of Vietnam. The participants were ethnic minority young women who were studying at a tertiary level in a mountainous area of Vietnam. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. From these instruments, I identified some important data. For example, poorly equipped facilities, instead of other factors, were reported as the most significant school factor that challenged ethnic minority women’s abilities to be successful at secondary school. 100% of my interview participants emphasised family encouragement as being the biggest motivation to their success. Nearly half of my survey participants regarded the lack of government policies as the major challenge that prevented them and could prevent other young women from accessing secondary education. The findings from this study are significant for Vietnamese educators, policy-makers and the Ministry of Education and Training, particularly in establishing and carrying out suitable programs and policies that benefit young women’s education in ethnic minority areas and the ethnic minority women themselves.