THE PRIME MINISTER

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To approve the Program on human resource training support for small- and medium-sized enterprises in the 2004-2008 period (promulgated together with this Decision).

Article 2.- To assign the Ministry of Planning and Investment to promulgate the Regulation on management of the execution of the Program on human resource training support for small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Article 3.- To assign the Ministry of Finance to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in, issuing a circular guiding the use of funding of the Program on human resource training support for small- and medium-sized enterprises in the 2004-2008 period.

Article 4.- This Decision takes implementation effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 5.- The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of the Government-attached agencies and the presidents of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall have to implement this Decision.

Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI

The small- and medium-sized enterprises have played an important role in the socio-economic development strategy, contributing to the national industrialization and modernization. Yet, at present their capabilities see numerous limitations; the training and fostering of managerial officials for the small- and medium-sized enterprises still fail to satisfy the requirements. While the training demands of business people and managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises become increasingly great, the State's support for training of managerial human resources for small- and medium-sized enterprises is extremely necessary.

The Program on human resource training support for the small- and medium-sized enterprises constitutes a part of the overall of policies and the Program on the State's support for small- and medium-sized enterprises as provided for in the Government's Decree No. 90/2001/ND-CP of November 23, 2001 on support for development of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

I. OBJECTIVES, OBJECTS AND SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM

- Overall objectives: To encourage and create conditions for small- and medium-sized enterprises to raise their competitiveness and contribute more and more to the national socio-economic development; to develop both quantitatively and qualitatively the system of providers of business development and support services, particularly the services on consultancy and managerial human resource training to assist the small- and medium-sized enterprises in their growth and sustainable development.

- Specific objectives: To provide essential knowledge for enterprise owners, managerial officials of small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as persons who intend to set up enterprises; to fill up gaps in knowledge, skills and information; to step by step raise the managerial capability, develop techniques, technologies and human resources in order to meet the growth requirements of small- and medium-sized enterprises; to provide managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises with knowledge and skills in formulating production and business strategies and developing domestic and overseas markets to satisfy the requirements of international economic integration.

The Program's objects are owners and managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises defined in Article 4 of the Government's Decree No. 90/2001/ND-CP of November 23, 2001 on support for development of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Besides, the Program shall pay due attention to individuals and organizations wishing to establish enterprises, woman entrepreneurs, business support service providers.

Subjects participating in the Program must have demands and aspirations for training and abide by the training regulations.

a) For small- and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs:

Providing enterprise management training for owners and managers, including training in general business management, business planning, marketing administration, finance-accounting administration, personnel administration, technical- technological management; marketing consultancy; enterprise- establishment training,

b) For business support service providers:

Providing topical training for, and raising the quality of, providers of support services for small- and medium-sized enterprises, ensuring the quantity and quality of the contingent of lecturers for execution of the Program.

4. Program execution duration: 5 years

II. PROGRAM’S CONTENTS

a) Training in the establishment of enterprises: Providing necessary information on laws and policies of the Party and the State, the regulations on establishment and operation of enterprises; the knowledge and skills on formulation of business and production strategies and plans. This part covers 5-day short-term training courses.

b) Enterprise administration training covers 7- day short-term training courses with the following contents:

- Raising the small- and medium-sized enterprises' capabilities for elaboration of plans on, and management of, business and production activities through training courses on general business management.

- Raising the personnel management capabilities of small- and medium-sized enterprises through training courses on personnel administration.

- Raising the marketing capabilities of small- and medium-sized enterprises through training courses on marketing administration.

- Assisting small- and medium-sized enterprises in drawing up marketing plans, raising marketing skills and skills for participation in fairs and exhibitions through professional training courses on planning, marketing skills, general knowledge.

- Raising the finance-accounting manage-ment capabilities of small- and medium-sized enterprises through training courses on finance-accounting administration.

- Raising the capabilities of small- and medium-sized enterprises for management of techniques, technologies, intellectual property, quality standards through training courses on technical and technological management.

In order to raise the skills of general business support service providers to be capable of participating in different training activities of the Program, the knowledge fostering contents cover:

- Training in general consultancy and marketing skills for consultants, lecturers and creating opportunity for them to materialize the professional practice standards.

- After attending training courses on general consultancy, the business support service providers shall be extensively trained in commencing the establishment of enterprises, in general business management, marketing administration, finance-accounting administra-tion, business planning, technical-technological management, human resource administration.

This training part shall cover short-term knowledge-fostering courses of about 14 days.

In estimated 5 years, the Program shall be executed as follows:

- Compiling a number of basic teaching stuffs.

- Opening 18 lecturer- training courses for 540 turns of people.

- Opening 3,589 assorted training courses for small- and medium-sized enterprises as well as individuals and organizations wishing to establish enterprises for about 107,670 turns of people.

III. PROGRAM EXECUTION SCHEDULE AND FUNDING

a) The 2004-2005 stage:

- Investigating and surveying specific demands of medium- and small-sized enterprises for training, drawing up plans for Program execution.

- Selecting and cooperating with establish-ments and/or organizations which are implementing human resource training programs, regardless of their economic sectors, organizational models, both inside and outside the country in order to well execute the Program, and satisfy the demands of small- and medium-sized enterprises in various branches, regions.

- Organizing seminars, exchanging ideas with domestic and foreign organizations that have experiences in training and fostering to raise the capabilities of owners and managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises in order to draw lessons and experiences in organizing the implementation of the Program.

- Compiling teaching materials and a number of necessary basic documents.

- Perfecting the management mechanism for execution of the Program through organizing a number of experimental training courses.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall preliminarily review and assess the execution of the Program in two years: the pluses, the minuses, the trainees' demands; supplement and propose solutions to the Prime Minister to adjust the Program so as to obtain practical efficiency.

b) The 2006-2008 stage:

-Tentative program:

+ Organizing about 10 lecturer- training courses;

+ Organizing 1,900 training courses on enterprise administration;

+ Organizing 1,400 training courses on establishment of enterprises;

+ Organizing 274 training courses on market expansion promotion skills.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall coordinate with the concerned ministries, branches, localities, enterprise associations in organizing the implementation of the elaborated program.

a) The Program shall be executed on the basis of socializing the training and knowledge fostering work: The small- and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs partly contribute funding; the State budget (central budget and local budgets) partly provide funding supports; priority should be given to small- and medium-sized enterprises in areas under particular difficult conditions.

b) The Program’s funding:

- The total estimated funding for the entire Program on human resource training support for small- and medium-sized enterprises from 2004 to 2008 is VND 119.4 billion.

- Annually, basing itself on the operation plan of the Program, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall estimate funding for inclusion into the State budget estimates according to the State Budget Law.

- For the immediate future, the Program's funding allocated for 2004 shall be VND 1 billion for formulation of the Program, surveys, compilation and printing of documents, organization of a number of experimental training courses, which shall be set aside from the above-mentioned total funding already approved.

- The State budget funding reserved for education and training, as provided for in Clause 2, Article 11 of the Government's Decree No. 90/2001/ND-CP of November 23, 2001 on support for development of small- and medium-sized enterprises. Besides, other sources of financial support from international and foreign organizations should be mobilized.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION

1. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall perform the State management functions prescribed in the Government's Decree No.90/2001/ND-CP of November 23, 2001 on development assistance for medium- and small-sized enterprises, have the responsibility to organize the execution of this Program.

2. The Finance Ministry shall perform the function of State management over finance and ensure funding for the execution of the Program according to plans, schedule and current regulations; participate in managing and assisting the Program according to its functions and tasks.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training shall coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in organizing the execution of the Program, mobilize prestigious and quality training establishments and lecturers for participation in the execution of the Program.

4. The provincial/municipal Planning and Investment Services shall assist the provincial/municipal People's Committees in performing the function of State management over the organization of executition of the Program on support for small- and medium-sized enterprises in their respective localities.

5. The enterprise associations shall participate in execution of the Program, regularly contributing their opinions with the State management agencies on the execution of the Program in order to satisfy the demands of small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI