The students of Vung Liem Senior Secondary School in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Vinh Long Province had just attended a lesson offered free by a "mobile computer institute" parked at the Trung Thanh A Primary School in Vung Liem District.

Students practise computer skills at a mobile class. As many as 600 students benefit from these classes every year

Although he was conversant with computers because it is taught at his school, Nghia had never had access to new computer models and telecommunication facilities like the 3G network. Now, he had the opportunity to practice and learn more on computers, free of charge, fairly near his house, which is located in a remote area.

Nghia\'s feelings were shared by his classmate Hoang Thi Tuong Vy, who said she was looking forward to learning more about accessing the Internet.

In a year, as many as 600 students could benefit from the free classes offered by the mobile computer classroom that was produced at an expense of USD54,000.

The classroom is a container truck that has been re-designed and equipped with 18 laptops, desks, air-conditioners, electricity generator and Internet connection.

The truck, which will stay in this area for three months, will move to other areas later.

The first mobile computer class in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta and in Vietnam is sponsored by the Swiss Dariu Foundation and supported by Vung Liem District\'s Department of Education and Training.

The foundation has said that, besides the primary investment for the mobile classroom, it would spend at least USD10,000 for operating it. Currently, about 250 students have come to register for the classes but some will have to wait for the next course because there is not enough space to accommodate all of them.

The classes are conducted in four shifts each day. Each shift offers computer know-how to 18 students.

Tran Thi Le, head of Vung Liem district\'s Department of Education and Training, said during the opening ceremony that due to financial shortfalls, the district had not been able to provide enough computers and computer lessons to its students. Many students in rural areas did not have access to learning and using computers, he said.

Hence, most students from rural areas lagged behind their urban friends in the use of computers and in foreign language skills when they joined a university or college, she said.

The new initiative to offer classes with a mobile classroom would bring computers and the Internet to rural students in remote areas and be of immense benefit to them, she said.

The foundation plans to open the second mobile class early next year if the current project proves successful. By 2014, there could be five more mobile classes like this travelling and spreading computer knowledge to students in rural areas in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta as well as Dong Nai Province.

In the future, besides basic computer knowledge, the mobile classroom will also offer knowledgeof assembling and fixing computer to students.

Later still, foreign language would be taught, said Nguyen Van Hanh, director of the foundation who is behind this initiative.

"Between 2004 and 2006, the foundation worked with some computer centres to offer free courses for students in ruarl areas. Later I recognised that the programme was not very effective.

"Students could not learn well because of the poor facilities at the centres, and the students had to travel a long distance to reach the class. Some stopped studying. So I decided to create a mobile class like thi sto bring computer courses closer to the students."

Three months later, the class will be brought to Tra On District, where several other students are also in need of the facilities and knowhow it offers.

Besides, the foundation will also provide computer sets to local schools so that they can continue practicing what they\'ve learnt after the mobile institute moves out of the area.

The foundation has also donated 3,000 sets for textbooks to the mobile institute that students can borrown to learn from during their school year. About 2,000 scholarships worth more than VNd1 million each would also be awarded to the students next month, foundation officials said.