‘Science theater’s play offers Vietnam kids handy, fun medical knowledge

Starting in mid May, over 35,000 elementary students in Ho Chi Minh City will have the opportunity to watch for free a kids’ play, designed to provide them with handy knowledge on dengue fever prevention and treatment and fun experiences at the same time.

The play, “Ke thu ti hon” (The tiny enemy), which provides students from 21 local elementary schools with basic knowledge on the prevention and treatment of dengue fever, is part of a project called “Science Theater“, which was launched in the southern hub in early 2010.

The project is part of a larger project called “Public engagement in science“, jointly launched by the UK’s Oxford University, HCMC Hospital of Tropical Diseases, Health Education and Promotion Center, and the city’s Department of Education and Training.

On Tuesday morning, representatives of the HCMC Department of Education and Training and 21 elementary schools really had a good time at the play debut at the Institute of Cultural Exchanges with France (IDECAF) in district 1, which gathered the educational leaders and teachers’ opinions on the play before officially launching it.

The play, packed with richly-colored characters playing different types of mosquitoes and fun dialogues typical of kids, sent the leaders and teachers to laugh out loud.

According to Hong Phuoc, the play director, it’s not easy to incorporate scientific content into a play which audiences, particularly kids, find appealing.

To make sure that the content is medically precise, she did intensive research on the internet on how mosquitoes breed and popular ways to eradicate them.

The content was then submitted to medical agencies for inspection. Actors had to learn the lines by heart well to minimize mistakes.

“I really had a good laugh during the play. The play is a good choice for elementary students. Though kids have learned the knowledge on dengue fever in class, drama and the cheerful atmosphere will help them better memorize the knowledge and more eager to apply it in their daily lives and even share it with surrounding adults,” remarked Nguyen Van Nguyen, vice head of the Binh Chanh district’s Office of Education and Training at the play debut.

The district’s education office has selected ten elementary schools in areas with highest risks of contracting dengue fever to join the project.

While enjoying the play, students will receive handouts with nine multiple-choice questions regarding dengue fever. They will submit their answers to their teachers after the play.

They will also receive booklets of the project, which feature health quizzes and games.

The kids will also join exchanges with actors after the play.

The project’s first play, “Tran chien ky la“, (The bizarre battle) was staged in March last year to some 25,000 elementary students in HCMC.

The play provided the kids with useful lessons on intestine-related diseases, food safety and proper use of antibiotics.

In 2011, with the US$2,000 funding from CapitaLand Vietnam, roughly 20,000 elementary students in Mekong Delta schools also benefited from the project.

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