Top 10 education events of 2019

Dantri has selected 10 most outstanding events in the education sector in 2019.

Dantri has selected 10 most outstanding events in the education sector in 2019.

1. Education Law 2019 approved by the National Assembly

The seventh session of the 14th National Assembly on June 14 saw the Law on Education 2019 approved which will replace previous education laws including the Law on Education 2005. The new law will take effect from July 1, 2020.

The Law on Education 2019 includes seven new features. The first one is to clarify continuity and vocational orientation in education. The second one is to legalise new textbooks and curriculum programme in accordance with Resolution 29 and Resolution 88. The third one is to add and specify details about non-profit private schools into the list such as its conversion, and management board. The fourth one is to improve lecturers' and teachers' quality, qualifications from nursery to secondary schools. The fifth one is the students' loans and details. The sixth one is to clarify tuition fees and the last one is to clarify regulations about investments into education.

2. Vietnam Association for Promoting Education has more than 20 million members

Vietnam Association for Promoting Education has followed directives from the 5th conference held on December 27 about implementing NA and governmental tasks in promoting education and saw some impressive results. As of now, it has a total of 20,017,083 members, an increase of 7.87% compared to 2018. It has 11,347 main branches, 141,766 small branches and 120,362 local committees for promoting education, an increase of 7.88%, 7.39% and 2.5% respectively compared to 2018 numbers.

Compared to the provincial population, provinces that have the highest member rate are Tay Ninh, Bac Lieu, Long An, Quang Ninh, Nam Dinh and Thai Binh. According to the reports from 35 provinces and cities, up to 284 colleges and universities have set up education promoting organisations.

In 2019, the association has raised over VND7.6bn and gave 7,800 scholarships that worth VND7.3bn as well as built many new classrooms and donated equipment to schools in need. It is managing a total of VND 3.9trn. Provinces with high fund per capita are Thanh Hoa, Phu Tho, Ha Nam,Thai Binh, Bac Lieu, Dong Nai and Hanoi.

3. New textbooks for first grade announced

On November 22, the Ministry of Education and Training announced 32 textbooks for eight subjects for first graders under the new general curriculum that have been reviewed and approved for 2020-2021 school year. The English textbooks haven't been approved yet due to legal issues.

A total of five textbooks for Vietnamese, five textbooks for Maths, five for Ethics, five for Music, five for Arts, three for Science and Society and three for experience activities. Vietnam Education Publishing House takes the lead with 24 books. Hanoi University of Education Publishing House and HCM City University of Education Publishing House have four books.

In principals, all approved textbooks can be used in schools. Depend on the situation that different textbooks from different authors and publishing houses will be chosen. The ministry is completing a decree on how to implement the law. Provincial authorities will establish a committee to choose the most suitable textbooks for their areas.

4. Trials and aftermaths of 2018 cheating scandals

347 exam sheets from 222 students in Ha Giang, Son La and Hoa Binh had their scores modified in the biggest cheating scandals in 2018. During the regular meeting in July 2018, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked localities to strictly deal with this case. Dozens of officials in the education and public security sectors have been detained and prosecuted in 2018 and 2019. Many people were expelled from the party or reprimanded for asking for help to raise their children's scores.

By the end of 2019, eight people in Son La, 15 in Hoa Binh and five in Ha Giang were prosecuted. A large number of students who had their scores modified were expelled from famous universities like Hanoi Medical University and People's Police Academy.

5. 200 children in Bac Ninh were tested positive with cysticercosis

In late February, the children from Thanh Khuong Nursery School were brought to the hospital after their parents discovered that the pork used at school had cysts like the meat from sick pigs. Since the school couldn't provide a satisfactory answer, many parents stopped letting their children eat lunch at school.

The school's leaders and involved employees were suspended for investigation. At that time, over 200 children in Bac Ninh were tested positive with cysticercosis. Up to 9,000 children were brought to hospitals for tests.

On September 18, parents of students at Vietnam-Australia InternationalSchool in Sala, HCM City, have filed complaints about low nutrition meals and poor quality food despite high lunch fees. In November, many parents gathered around Duc Thang Primary School in Hanoi to complain over poor lunch of the students.

6. Tighter regulations over professor and associate professor's qualifications

The Decision 37 on standards and procedures for consideration of recognition of accreditation and appointment to professor or associate professor title; procedures for cancellation of recognition and removal of professor or associate professor title started taking effect in 2019.

It is assessed that the candidates for professors and associate professors were outstanding with improved foreign language skills and more published articles on prestigious magazines. The candidates' information was publicised on the internet to show the transparency of the progress.

424 candidates were qualified including 75 candidates for professor titles and 349 candidates for associate professor title.

7. Hanoi first-grader schoolbus death

In late December, Cau Giay District People's Procuracy in Hanoi started the prosecution against three people involved in the death of a first-grader who was forgotten on the school bus of Gateway International School on August 6. The driver Doan Quy Phien and monitoring employee Nguyen Bich Quy were accused of accidentally killing the student. Homeroom teacher Nguyen Thi Thuy was accused of irresponsibility and causing serious consequences.

The international schools' quality was reviewed after the accident. Pham Ngoc Anh, head of Cau Giay Department of Education and Training, said Gateway was actually self-titled as an international school to attract students. Several schools have removed "international" title from their names afterwards.

8. Vietnamese universities got into world rankings

Many universities in Vietnam has got into world rankings in 2019. In August, Ton Duc Thang University was in top 1,000 Academic Ranking of World Universities. This is the first Vietnamese university in ARWU ranking which conducted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

In September, Vietnam National University Hanoi, Vietnam National University HCM City and Hanoi University of Science & Technology were selected in the World University Rankings by Times Higher Education. In October, Vietnam National University Hanoi and Vietnam University HCM City are both selected in the Best Global Universities ranking conducted by US News and World Report.

9. Ho Ngoc Dai textbook dispute

In September, the set of textbooks by Professor Ho Ngoc Dai was disqualified. The books set considered beyond the curriculum, too difficult for first-grade students, and not suitable for the new general education program. However, Dai and his editors said that it was not persuading and that the criteria were too stiff. Dai said his textbooks had been used in pilot programmes for 931,000 students for 40 years. The CGD centre with Dai submitted a complaint to the prime minister and Ministry of Education and Training.

In late 11, the Government Office announced that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had directed the Ministry of Education and Training to review the appraisal progress and gather opinions from experts about the textbooks and pilot programme. Dai also said he was willing to talk directly about such issues.

10. Dong Do University provides bachelor's degrees in English without permit

Dong Do University recruited students for English faculty. However, the Ministry of Education and Training said they hadn't given any permit. The investigators prosecuted five people including the university's chairman and director for forgery. The Department of Planning and Finance under the Ministry of Education and Training didn't check whether Dong Do University had the required permit yet.

On September 20, Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha signed on the decision to change the responsibility for diploma and certificates to the Department of Quality Management.