DA NANG, Vietnam – August 7-8, 2025

In Vietnam, over 18.3 million children from primary, secondary and high schools commute between home and school every day. On their school journeys, many children share the road with speeding trucks, with no sidewalks to walk on. Alarmingly, traffic speeds around schools frequently and significantly exceed internationally recommended school zones’ speed limits.

Building on the momentum of the recently launched multi-partner program to safeguard students on their way to and from school, with support from the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF), the Vietnam Ministry of Construction and AIP Foundation co-hosted a capacity-building training focused on implementing the Safe School Zones Guide and conducting school zone assessments using the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology. The training was delivered with technical support from the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP).

The Safe School Zones Guide was endorsed by the Ministry of Construction in August 2023 and has been used to implement infrastructure modifications at schools in Vietnam to demonstrate the benefits of the approach. Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) is an award-winning evidence-based programme of tools, training and support to measure, manage and communicate the risk children are exposed to on a journey to school. This methodology is also included in the Safe School Zones Guide developed by AIP Foundation and FIA Foundation. This training will support advocacy efforts to ensure every child has a safe school journey in Vietnam

“Safe school journeys are fundamental to every child’s right to education and protection,” said Nneka Henry, Head of the UN Road Safety Fund Secretariat. “ We are proud to support this initiative, which brings international road safety standards to the local level and strengthens the capacity of authorities to make school zones safer. This training reflects our shared commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in promoting safe, inclusive, and sustainable mobility for all children.”

Safe School Zones Guide and Star Rating for Schools Training

The one-and-a-half-day training aimed to strengthen the capacity of officials from provincial Departments of Construction across the country in applying the Safe School Zones Guide and assessing school zone safety using the Star Rating for Schools (SR4S) methodology developed by iRAP. This will support local authorities in implementing effective traffic safety improvements around schools, in alignment with the Prime Minister’s directives under the National Strategy for Road Traffic Order and Safety (2021–2030), with a vision to 2045.

According to the Strategy, 100% of newly constructed national and provincial roads, and 75% of existing national highways, must meet a minimum 3-star safety rating or higher based on iRAP standards, while all school gates located along national highways, provincial roads, and major urban roads must ensure safe and congestion-free traffic management.

The training program provided participants with practical guidance for implementing the Safe School Zones Guide to improve road safety around school areas. It also provided instruction on how to assess the safety levels of school zones using SR4S methodology. In addition, the program facilitates discussion on effective solutions for improving both traffic infrastructure and management to create safer, more accessible environments for students.

Around 90 participants attended the training, including representatives from the Ministry of Construction, the Department of Roads in Vietnam, the International Road Assessment Programme, and officials from all provinces in Vietnam.

“Ensuring the safety of children on their journey to school is one of the Government’s top priorities in road traffic safety,” said Mr. Hoàng Thế Tùng, Deputy Director of the Transport and Road Safety Department, Ministry of Construction of Vietnam. “Through this training, we hope that each agency and individual will be able to enhance their knowledge and experience, and apply them in implementing road safety measures — such as improving traffic infrastructure and supporting traffic management around school areas in Vietnam — thereby contributing to preventing and reducing road traffic accidents, for the peace and happiness of every family and of society as a whole.”

Working together toward a legal definition of Safe School Zones

The two-year program was launched in May 2025  in Hanoi, Vietnam. The program will be carried out in close collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTFO), serving as a fiduciary Administrative Agent for the UN Road Safety Fund.

Throughout its course, it aims to contribute to the reduction of traffic injuries and fatalities through advocacy for the development of a legal framework for standardized school zones in Vietnam. This will be achieved by gathering evidence on school zone safety, providing capacity training for key government stakeholders, piloting model school zones in selected provinces and promoting awareness of the community.