Scientific Workshop on “Preserving and Transmitting Ethnic Minority Folk Songs to Lower Secondary School Students in Thai Nguyen Province”: Working Together to Bring Ethnic Minority Folk Songs into Schools
On the afternoon of June 22, 2026, Thai Nguyen University of Education – Thai Nguyen University organized the scientific workshop entitled “Educational Activities for the Preservation and Transmission of Ethnic Minority Folk Songs to Lower Secondary School Students in Thai Nguyen Province.” The workshop was an important activity under the provincial-level science and technology project “Researching and Preserving the Folk Songs of Ethnic Minorities in Thai Nguyen Province” (Code: ĐT/NV/26/2025), led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Thu. The event provided a forum for academic exchange, experience sharing, and the proposal of practical solutions to bring ethnic minority folk-song heritage closer to younger generations.
The workshop was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tu Quang Tan, Vice Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Education – Thai Nguyen University; Dr. On Thi My Linh, Head of the Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation; members of the project management team; scientists; lecturers; educational administrators; lower secondary school teachers; folk artists; representatives of ethnic minority folk-song clubs; as well as a large number of trainees, students, and individuals interested in preserving and promoting the cultural identities of ethnic communities.
Against the backdrop of an education system increasingly focused on developing students’ qualities and competencies while nurturing cultural identity, preserving and transmitting ethnic minority folk songs not only contributes to safeguarding the valuable cultural heritage of the locality but also serves as a bridge through which younger generations can better understand their roots, foster their love for their homeland and country, and develop an awareness of preserving national cultural identity. With this significance in mind, the workshop focused on discussing new research findings while analyzing the practical implementation of folk-song education activities at lower secondary schools across Thai Nguyen Province.
Three scientific presentations delivered at the workshop approached the issue from different perspectives. The presentation by Dr. Duong Nguyet Van, Thai Nguyen University of Education – Thai Nguyen University, provided a comprehensive overview of the current situation of ethnic minority folk-song education and transmission in lower secondary schools, highlighting both positive outcomes and challenges encountered during implementation. Ms. Hoang Thi Thanh Huong, Vice Principal of Phu Luong Ethnic Minority Boarding Lower Secondary School, proposed a number of solutions to improve the effectiveness of folk-song education through innovation in content and organizational methods, as well as by strengthening experiential activities for students. Meanwhile, the presentation by Ms. Tran Thi An, Chairwoman of the Sang Co Na Mao Club (Khuan U, Phu Xuyen, Thai Nguyen), highlighted the important role of folk artists and local communities in preserving and transmitting traditional folk melodies, while emphasizing the need to establish close links among schools, families, and communities in heritage preservation.
Going beyond the exchange of research findings, the workshop also featured many thoughtful and constructive contributions from scientists, educational administrators, teachers, and folk artists. Participants jointly analyzed the challenges of attracting students to folk-song activities and proposed a range of feasible solutions, including establishing folk-song clubs in schools, increasing opportunities for hands-on and experiential learning, promoting the role of folk artists in teaching, applying digital technologies to preserve and disseminate folk songs, and developing educational models tailored to the specific conditions of each locality.
The discussions at the workshop provided important scientific and practical evidence, helping the project management team further refine the research findings while laying the groundwork for the development of feasible solutions to make ethnic minority folk songs a familiar, engaging, and widely accessible component of school education.
The success of the workshop not only reaffirmed the role of Thai Nguyen University of Education – Thai Nguyen University in researching and promoting the cultural values of ethnic minority communities but also opened up new directions for connecting scientific research with local educational practices. This will provide an important foundation for traditional folk melodies to continue to be preserved, transmitted, and promoted among younger generations, thereby contributing to the preservation of national cultural identity and the development of an education system rich in cultural identity in the era of international integration.
Below are some photos from the workshop:
The project management team taking a commemorative photo with invited guests and participating delegates
The project management team taking a commemorative photo with folk artists, lower secondary school administrators, and participating delegates
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tu Quang Tan, Party Committee Member and Vice Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Education – Thai Nguyen University, delivering his remarks
Presenters delivering their presentations
Guests participating in the discussion at the workshop