Activities of village public schools in Tonkin during the period 1926-1945 (through the case of Nam Dinh province)

Abstract

The article examines the evolution of public schools in rural areas of Tonkin following the decrees issued on December 2, 1926, by the Governor-General of Indochina and on December 27, 1926, by the Resident Superior of Tonkin. These rulings permitted villages to establish schools funded from village budgets and to independently hire teachers. Drawing on archival sources, this study emphasizes on aspects of legal framework, regulations governing teachers, and the curriculum related to those decrees. The implementation process of village school initiatives is analyzed through a detailed case study of those in Nam Dinh province. Analyzing data from schools across Tonkin reveals that the operation of public village schools fell short of expectations, prompting subsequent adjustments by the Tonkinese authorities. Furthermore, the Circular issued by the Resident Superior of Tonkin in June 23, 1941 introduced more flexible regulations for teachers and curriculum, effectively granting villages considerable autonomy in varied educational matters. These regulatory changes resulted in a significant rise in the number of village schools in Tonkin, increasing from over 1,500 schools in 1940 to more than 5,000 schools by 1944.