Alarming figures from the Ministry of Education: 96.7% of young people have witnessed scenes of violence or clashes within the institutions. One main reason found in the deterioration of moral education in families, in education system, in consumerism and materialistic lifestyle of adults.

Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) - 96.7% of Vietnamese students have witnessed scenes of violence or violent epsiodes in schools. And they say that violence is "normal." The figure was provided by the Ministry for Education and Training, to demonstrate that violence is on the rise within schools.

A report by the Department of Education in Ho Chi Minh City, for its part, says that since 2003 more than 8,000 students from high schools in the city to have been involved in violence.

According to Huynh Cong Minh, director of the Department, "the clashes between young people are not new, but the phenomenon is growing and becoming serious and dangerous. Students use knives and sharp objects. This is really dangerous to the life and safety of children”.

According to one study, the reasons behind the violence are extremely simple: hatred, revenge, dissatisfaction, unjust behaviour.

Some educators argue that one of the reasons must be sought in the deterioration of moral education in families, in the education system, consumerism and the materialistic lifestyle of adults today.

Many school presidents, moreover work for their own interests rather than those of the young people. They only teach facts and figures and fail to teach students how to think, behave or interact with each other or society at large. Even worse, "adults" and parents are not interested in the moral education of their children. Students are victims of social mechanisms. They have poor morals.

Now, the Deputy Minister for Education, Tran Quang Do, has signed a document on the prevention of illegal situations and violence in schools. The Ministry is asking schools to continually improve moral education, to ensure a better lifestyle for students, working in relationship with local authorities, civil society and families in managing and educating the young people. But all these requests remain on paper.