Our Intention
…is to help develop a clear framework and practical methods with a teacher training curriculum,
to help create Happy Schools, from Primary to Higher Secondary Schools,
first in Hue Province and later in Vietnam.
Why does Happiness matter?
All human beings aspire to be happy; the motto of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam — ‘Independence, Freedom, Happiness’ — reflects this fundamental human objective. Likewise, the American constitution is based on: ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness’. There seems to be a universal consensus on the importance of Happiness in human life, and Happiness is today at the top of the global policy agenda with the United Nations General Assembly's 2011 resolution recognizing the Pursuit of Happiness as a fundamental human goal.
Globally, paradoxically, until recently there have been few efforts to implement the necessary conditions for Happiness in education, either at school level or through teachers’ pre-service and in-service training.
In Vietnam, the last decade, the Government has been reforming the education system toward promoting happiness and wellbeing in schools, for instance, the “Friendly schools, active students” movement in collaboration with UNICEF, or the ‘Happy schools” innitiative of the Association of Education Vietnam,... Vietnam has taken its steps in order to transform the system collectively.
“It will not change within one or two days... Happiness is a path, we keep building the path, gradually it radicates. Once we create a happy environment, in our schools, we will see the manifestation of human beings who value emotional connection rather than artificial intelligence or technology. Technology is needed today, but if we overestimate it, we can’t ensure the ultimate goal of education, which is nurturing a holistic human being”, said Mr. Phung Xuan Nha – Minister of Vietnam Education Ministry.
The objective of this project, therefore, is to help develop a clear framework and practical methods with a teacher training curriculum, to help create Happy Schools, from Primary to Higher Secondary Schools, first in Hue Province and later in Vietnam.
What is Happiness?
True Happiness — that is not to be mistaken with superficial ‘feel good’ moods, and egoistic striving for personal and short-lived pleasures — can be achieved if students have the opportunity to:
Learn to develop their full potential - knowledge, competencies, skills, talents and creativity.
Learn to live in harmony with others create meaningful relationships, become responsible citizens and thus contribute to a Happy society.
Learn to respect & protect our fragile environment and live in harmony with Nature
Scientific research shows that Happiness is something that can be learned, as well as learning being a source of Happiness in and of itself. This is achieved by enhancing relevant values and competencies. They are also reflected in UNESCO's concepts of ‘learning to live together’ and ‘learning to be’.
The UNESCO report ‘Learning: The Treasure Within’ identified four pillars of learning:
The pillars place a particular emphasis on ‘learning to live together’ as an overarching learning goal.The importance placed on the social and emotional domains of learning is also reflected in UNESCO's commitment to education for sustainable development, in addition to its ‘Global Citizenship’ education program .
Arguably, equipping learners with skills, attitudes and values pertaining to ‘learning to live together’, and ‘learning to be’ — such as empathy, tolerance, communication and creativity — requires first ensuring wellbeing and holistic development within the school environment.
The Happy Schools in Vietnam Project focuses on happiness in terms of the quality of education. In particular, it emphasizes the psychosocial and emotional dimensions of learning to promote happiness within the school context, focusing on the contribution of the schooling experience for teaching wellbeing, growth and development.