Education

A lot of students weep bitterly not because they failed the university entrance exams, but because they cannot afford the tuitions which have unexpectedly increased.

As Vietnam gears up for the new school year, a shortage of classrooms and the over-collection of tuition and other fees are worrying educators.

Teachers at primary schools need to instruct and help their students to finish their homework in class if they do a full day at school.

While kindergartens and primary schools face serious teacher shortages, HCM City has too many qualified high school teachers.

History teachers at high schools complain that their students sit nodding in history lessons. Meanwhile, culturists and historians warned that Vietnamese people may become “history illiterate.”

Vietnamese parents do not attend the lessons at the schools, but in fact, they also have to learn hard to become the fellow-travelers of their children, who go to the first grade.

While the publishing of textbooks is monopolised by the Education Publishing House, the reference books market is lucrative.

Some private colleges are flouting regulations to attract students for the new school year.

Many international schools in HCMC are in a tough race to attract students by offering high-valued promotions as well as scholarships in the new school year.

There has been no increase in tuition fees at public schools for the last two years, but private schools never fail to increase theirs every year.

Many schools have failed to ban students from driving motorbikes to class despite their efforts.

More and more universities in Vietnam are using a well-known teaching methodology to improve training quality and improve learning in the classroom.

Lack of proper facilities and staff has put increasing difficulties on many semi-boarding schools in HCM City.

A hands-on French education method or the “La main à la Pâte” programme will be piloted at junior high schools in five districts in the 2012-2013 academic year.

Non-state owned universities and vocational schools have been quietly hunting for the students failing the university entrance exams--to invite them to study at their schools.

Approximately $40 million will be invested in the Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program during the 2013-2017 period.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong had a working session with the Ministry of Education and Training on comprehensive education reform on August 17.

The tuitions for different education levels have been kept unchanged, however, this does not mean that the financial burden on parents has been eased.

The People’s Council of HCMC has recently approved a policy lending educational support to children of families facing dire economic strains, who are on or below the poverty line.