Investment in education and training is the key to help ethnic minority groups living in remote areas overcome poverty, National Assembly (NA) deputies suggested at a conference on the socio-economic development in these regions.

According to government reports, ethnic minority groups residing in upland areas have been facing many difficulties due a lack of infrastructure systems and flaws in agricultural production technology that is holding back production.

There is only 0.1 ha of farming land per capita, with the situation particularly difficult for the Pa Then group with only 0.04 ha. The annual average income per capita among ethnic minority groups currently VND2.17 million (US$103), but for some groups with a very small population such as Chut and Lo Lo, this figure is much lower at only VND1.6 million ($76).

More than 54.2 percent of ethnic minority households are living in poverty in these areas.

Vice chairwoman of Lao Cai province's People's Committee Ha Thi Nga said the Ministry of Education and Training should coordinate with relevant agencies to make changes in education methodology for ethnic children, especially at kindergarten and primary levels so they can develop appropriate knowledge.

Meanwhile, Deputy head of the NA delegation from Cao Bang province, La Ngoc Thoang, said it is necessary for authority officers working in these areas to attend training courses so that they can better deal with land, production and accommodation issues.

Only when the abilities of officers are improved can state policies be effectively implemented, he said. Vice President of NA's Ethnic Council Trieu Thi Nai said that a limited knowledge of science and technology has limited the production activities of ethnic people in remote regions.

She also said that target investment projects had largely failed to meet development demand.

Nai suggested that the Government should allocate more resources for the improvement of infrastructure systems.

Deputy chairwoman of the NA, Tong Thi Phong, said relevant agencies should coordinate with each other in order to solve issues that are hindering the development of the ethnic people.