Vietnam news » Education

Students’ rotating waste bin wins city’s youth contest

admin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:30:08 +0000

The three Ton Duc Thang University coeds who took first prize at HCMC's annual youth contest on Sunday

A group of university students has won first prize at the Ho Chi Minh City’s annual youth creativity contest with their design for a rotating bin supporting waste categorization.

The prize was awarded to three students of Ton Duc Thang University at a ceremony on Sunday, local newspaper Saigon Tiep Thi reported Monday.

A project to recycle wastes in schools, suggested by a group of students from HCMC University of Architecture, won second.

Meanwhile, a pair from HCMC University of Technology scooped the third prize with an initiative to develop an environmental protection volunteer corps.

This year’s contest was themed around conservation.

Since its April launch, it received 205 ideas from young people across the country, the news source said.

The youngest participant was a seven-year-old student in HCMC.

Source: Thanh nien

Vietnamese student wins Australian educational award

admin — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 03:04:39 +0000

K'Chin, 21, has won Queensland's International Student of the Year award

A 21-year-old Vietnamese student who was brought to Australia for a surgery eight years ago has been named the international student of the year by the state of Queensland.

K’Chin, who is currently studying at the St James College, has also been nominated for school captain.

Born in the central highlands province of Lam Dong, K’Chin sustained a critical injury to his right leg when he was nearly one month old.

Living as a disabled person until he was 13 years old, the boy was then brought to Australia for treatment by the Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children. There he underwent 16 major operations and returned to Vietnam four years later.

However, due to complications, K’Chin had to return to Australia. Since then, he has lived and studied in Queensland.

Source: VNA

Teachers must be trained living skills

admin — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 20:59:06 +0000

It is the first year that MOET decided schools have to operate classes to teach living skills preparation program for the academic year 2010-2011

It is the first year that the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) decided schools have to operate classes to teach living skills preparation program for the academic year 2010-2011; however, it requires teachers to be trained with educational methodologies and certain knowledge.

Summer camps bring kids life-training

Most schools lack professional teachers to take charge in such classes, so head teachers are assigned to do the job. There hasn’t in fact been a training course for teachers of these classes, especially young teachers.

Teachers in charge of such classes need to be trained to teach living skills, MOET has therefore launched a training course for over 700 teachers from 23 southern provinces in the beginning of the year. Some teachers said it is easy that schools offer extracurricular classes but MOET should verify the role of teachers and effective teaching methodologies.

Headmistress of Tran Khai Nguyen high-school, Nguyen Thi Yen Trinh, said MOET and the Department of Education and Training have just ordered schools t teach life skills among the students, but they didn’t give detailed plan. According to Ms. Trinh, young instructors themselves lack living skills; they are thus confused to bring living skills to the classroom and deal with complicated situation.

Managing board of Tran Khai Nguyen high-school has just invited several experts to provide teaching methodology training to head teachers.

After the course, literature teacher Dinh Thi My Hanh said through the course, teachers could design a lesson in which provide life skills to pupils. Meanwhile, teacher Bui Thi Ngoc Thoan, head teacher of class 11A2 said the training made teachers confident to offer extracurricular classes even in one hour through some forms like dramas, poetry or songs. During the classes, the students were taught to combine presentation and teamwork in different topics.

MOET has issued five documents to teach living skills through teaching subjects literature, biology, geography, lessons for citizenship education or outside lessons. However, students felt bored to receive life skills through main subjects but they showed their enthusiasm to learn living skills under other forms. Tran Khai Nguyen high-school’s 10 grader Dong Thuc said he learned how to resolve contradiction through discussion with friends after watching a drama in class.

Another problem has risen when implementing living skill teaching plan, which is financial problem. According to Tran Khac Huy from the Department of Education and Training, private owned institutes are eager to hold training courses to teachers and students meanwhile public schools are not due to financial difficulties.

Moreover, state-run facilities neglected to provide living skill class but focus on raising graduate number for maintaining its achievements.

Psychologist Vo Van Nam said teachers play an important role in training ethic and behavior of students, especially living skills.

Violence escalated among students and even among teachers who had insulting words to learners. Teachers also lack of living skills.

Mr. Nam said living skills can gradually develop through learning, apprehending and experiencing life. Accordingly schools and the education sector should work out long-term plans to each instructors.

Source: SGGP

Going to school – the service is much in demand

admin — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:59:38 +0000

VnnNews - A lot of students have found a new way to earn money. They provide a new kind of services which have not been seen in any other countries in the world: going to school in the name of clients.

Ghost written: Vietnam’s university students outsource their theses

Things that the service providers have to do are going to class everyday, being present at roll-call, attending training courses, and sometimes doing tests on behalf of clients.

The service providers are mostly regular training students of universities, while people, who need to use the service are mostly in-service training students. Since in-service training students are always busy with their current works, they do not have time to go to class everyday. Many in-service training students register to follow training courses, because they want to have new bachelor degrees which allow them go get promotion in their job. Meanwhile, they really do not care much about the knowledge.

Both the demand and the supply are very high. Service providers – mostly students from small cities and provinces – like to provide the service in order to get money to fund their study. Meanwhile, in-service training students need to use the service, because they would rather spend their time on other works which can bring fat money, than going to class.

It is very easy to look for service providers nowadays. Sometimes, the service providers can be found right in classes. An in-service student of a school said he knows a “service provider” who goes everyday to his class. “If you have demand, please tell her, she will meet all the demands,” he said.

Especially, the service has been advertised publicly, though the behaviour of going to class in other people’s name is considered as illegal. If someone enters a school, he will receive a lot of leaflets, where he can find the contact addresses of “service providers” and the information about how to find them. All the service providers promise to give “high quality” service to their clients, i.e. that the service providers will not miss any lessons, while lecturers will not discover that the people who go to class everyday are just imposters.

The service has been even advertised on internet. If accessing to some websites forum.clip.vn, www.hocthue.net, www.hvtc.vn, www.info.vn and chutin.vn, such information about the service can be easily found.

“You are a busy person? You have to spend your time on family’s works, friends’ parties, and you cannot go to class every day? Then you need someone, who, on behalf of you, go to class everyday and do tests for you. We can satisfy your demand. Call us 0988.85.22.xx (Mr. Dinh),” an advertisement piece reads.

Especially, the service provider stressed that when using the service, people will have the opportunity to help poor students overcome difficulties and keep their study.

A lot of students have got familiar to a website specializing in providing this kind of service at Hocthue.net. The websites describes itself as the biggest website in this field.

Tien phong’s reporters called 0974419xxx, a phone number given on the website, and met a student, V, who said he is studying at the Hanoi University of Industry. V said the service fee is about 40-50,000 dong per lesson.

Source: Tien phong

Teaching swimming – the new task that burdens schools

admin — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:59:35 +0000

General schools but complain that they are facing a lot of difficulties in teaching due to the lack of swimming pools and teachers.

VnnNews – General schools all agree that it is very necessary to teach students to swim, but complain that they are facing a lot of difficulties in teaching due to the lack of swimming pools and teachers.

Finance shortage hinders primary students from swimming

Local pools: a quick dip

Swimming lessons essential to curb child mortality rates

Director of HCM City Education and Training Department Huynh Cong Minh has instructed general schools in the city to begin teaching swimming as a curricular subject from the 2010-2011 school year. Children at nursery schools will learn to swim as an optional subject, while children at general schools will have to take at least 12 lessons a year.

Educators all have applauded the decision by the Ministry of Education and Training to teach swimming at general schools. Ho Hoang Minh, Headmaster of Nguyen Thi Dinh High School, said it is very useful to teach students how to swim, because the teaching will provide students the skills to protect themselves, avoid risks and reduce the number of drowning in the country. Besides, swimming should be seen as a good, healthy means of sports which can help children keep off other harmful games.

However, educators have warned that it will be a very difficult task to teach swimming at schools. In HCM City, there are 1,750 schools from pre-schools to high schools, but only 30 schools have swimming pools, most of them are pre-schools.

Once a week, third, fourth and fifth graders of Bau Sen Primary School in District 5 in HCM City are carried to Lam Son swimming pool, where they are taught how to swim. Nguyen Xuan Bao, Bau Sen’s Headmaster said since first and second graders are too small and they can not take care for themselves, swimming lessons are only provided only to third and subsequent graders.

Nguyen Van Troi Primary School in District 4 in HCM City is one of a few primary schools, which have swimming pools in HCM City, only teaches swimming to second graders only. Pham Thuy Ha, Headmaster of Nguyen Van Troi School said that the swimming pool has the depth of 65-85 cm; therefore, the pool only fits second graders. The school is considering bringing elder students to public swimming pools, but it still needs to consider possible plans.

Meanwhile, Vo Van Tan Secondary School in Tan Binh District in HCM City is now teaching swimming at Cong Hoa swimming pool. The training course will last six weeks and students will have to pay the tuition fee of 45,000 dong for the teaching. Phan Dang Luu High School has collected 90,000 dong from every student for swimming lessons at Yet Kieu swimming pool.

Though swimming is now listed as a curricular subject, most of general schools have only been providing swimming lessons as extracurricular lessons.

According to Nguyen Van Vuong, Headmaster of Nguyen Gia Thieu Secondary School in Tan Binh District in HCM City, it would be much easier to organise swimming classes as extracurricular classes. The main goal of the swimming teaching programme is to ensure that students can swim, therefore, the lesson hours should be set up in a flexible way in order to create most favourable conditions for students and schools. If swimming lessons are provided during school hours, there would be not enough swimming pools for students to learn. Besides, it will take students time to move from schools to swimming pools.

In District 8, only Tran Nguyen Han Primary School provides swimming lessons for third graders. The problem is that there is no swimming pool in the district, and the school has to bring students to Hoa Binh pool in Binh Chanh district.

Source: Tien phong

Banks stop disbursement, university students weep bitterly

admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:59:20 +0000

VnnNews – Banks and universities have voiced the same concern that the narrowing of the programme on lending to poor university students will force many students out of schools. They strongly believe that the programme needs to be resumed in the same scale in order to fund students’ study.

Students desperate for school loans

Nguyen Van Ngoan from Ton Duc Thang University

Nguyen Van Ngoan from Ton Duc Thang University:

The demand for borrowing money from the Bank for Social Policies is very big. So far, about 8000 students of our university have expressed their will to borrow money from the bank this school year.

I think policy makers need to inform students and their parents in advance about any changes in the policy. I am afraid that many students will encounter difficulties because they do not have money to pay tuition. Meanwhile, universities will also encounter difficulties because the education program will be a mess.

The State should think of delaying the implementation of the new policy and I think it should be implemented in the second semester of the school year.

Tran Dinh Ly, MA, from the HCM City Agriculture and Forestry University

About 8000 students from our school need to borrow capital each year. Not too long ago we were so happy when we heard that all poor students could borrow money to maintain their studies. But now we are now worried because we heard that the subjects to the loans from the Bank for Social Policies will be narrowed.

A lot of universities and students are stunned by the sudden changes in the policy on lending to poor students. I know that maybe the bank is facing difficulties with capital sources, but such a sudden change proves to be unreasonable.

I know many poor students have cried when hearing the news, because they fear that they may have to drop-out of school.

Associate Professor Dr Tran Hoang Ngan, Deputy President of the HCM City Economics University

The programme on lending to poor students has been running smoothly and there is no reason for us to stop it. I think that we should use capital from different sources and we can mobilize capital from enterprises. Enterprises will use the labour force and they need to take responsibility for the development in human resources by contributing money to funds reserved for lending to poor students.

Besides, we can also think of seeking capital from other sources, including commercial banks, if we have reasonable mechanisms. The interest rates at which commercial banks lend to students may be higher than the loans provided by the Bank for Social Policies, but must be lower than the banks’ consumer interest rates.

Tran Van Tien, Deputy Director of the HCM City branch of the Bank for Social Policies

People will meet many difficulties with the sudden changes. By September 30, 548 billion dong had been disbursed to 51,598 students in HCM City. With the new decision, thousands of students in HCM City will not be able to continue taking out loans.

I think the State should seek more capital sources so as to have more capital to lend to students. The investment in education proves to be the best investment.

Source: Tuoi tre
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University students work hard, struggle to keep studying

admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:59:12 +0000

VnnNews – After school hours, many students rush to restaurants, pubs, bookstores or shopping malls, where they begin new working shifts. Work can bring them money, which allows them to keep studying, and valuable experience which will be useful in their later lives.

HCM City university students scramble to find a place to live

Ghost written: Vietnam’s university students outsource their theses

University students suffer summer heat

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While her classmates spent time relaxing after a week of hard learning, Ta Linh, a student of the Vocational School in District 1, HCM City still had to go to work on Saturday and Sunday.

In a sweaty shirt, Linh told Nguoi lao dong’s reporter: “I served as a waitress at a wedding party in Tan Binh district, for which I earned 150,000 dong”.

Thu Thuy, an attractive student with a nice smile, who studies at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanity, said she has had two-years of experience working as a waitress at wedding parties. “Sometimes I had to serve at three or four wedding parties which made short of breath. However, the job can bring me two million dong a month,” she said.

Phuong Thuy, a “colleague” of Thu Thuy, said that she is now a third year university student. Her parents are working in rice fields in a poor area of Nghe An province. Therefore, they can only give Thuy 1-1.2 million dong a month.

The sum of money is really too small to cover expenses in HCM City, while everything is getting more and more expensive. Thuy shares room-for-rent with a friend for which she has to pay 400,000 a month. She also has to pay at least 800,000 dong a month for meals and basic needs.

“Besides, I still have to spend money on foreign language learning, books and birthday parties. If I did not work, I would not be able to live and keep studying in HCM City for four years,” she said.

Even the students, who live in HCM City with their well-off families, also want to go to work. Minh, who lives in District 10, related that though his parents give him pocket money every month and pay for all his needs, he still decided to take a job at a wine company. Every day he goes to restaurants and pubs to introduce the products of the company. If he can find buyers, he will enjoy a commission which is equal to 20 percent of the sale prices.

All the students said that it is not easy to earn money. Thuy related that two years ago, she took a job as a waitress at a restaurant. At first, she was happy with the job, because she could earn 50,000 dong per night, while she also could get tips from clients. However, one night, a drunk man took inappropriate liberties with her. As she was too frightened, she dropped meals on the customer. As the result, she was fired immediately.

Hanh, a student, who lives in District 9 in HCM City, related that when she was working for a bia hoi (draft beer) restaurant on Thong Nhat Road in Thu Duc district, she accidentally broke a tray. As the result, she was forced to pay 1.2 million dong to the restaurant’s owner, though the tray was worth 400,000 dong only.

Working proves to be the only choice for many students. Ta Linh admitted that since she began working, her grades have become worse. “However, I have no other choice. In order to survive in the big city, you have to work hard,” she said.

Source: Nguoi lao dong

Olympic English contest launched

admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:01:33 +0000

Registration opened yesterday for the Olympic English Contest 2010 in HCM City for high school pupils who wish to practice English and gain essential skills

VnnNews – Registration opened yesterday, Sept 22, for the Olympic English Contest 2010 in HCM City for high school pupils who wish to practice English and gain essential skills for entering the workforce in the near future.

Poor English language skills, teaching hinder Vietnamese

British University Vietnam established in Hanoi

Forty university students win English-speaking contest

Students in class at the Apollo language centre in Ha Noi. (Photo: VNS)

The three-round contest, being held jointly by Apollo English and the Department of Education and Training of HCM City, is open to 10th and 11th grade pupils from all HCM City high schools.

The first round will be held on October 10 at a high school in HCM City. Contestants will take a 100-question multiple choice test with questions spanning across various topics, such as culture, history and society.

Second round contestants will be challenged with a 50-question multiple choice test and a 50-question listening test.

The final round will include two parts: a quick Q&A session and an oral presentation session.

Khalid Muhmood, chairman of Apollo English said: “This is the first time Apollo English is holding this contest in co-ordination with HCM City’s Department of Education and Training, and we are honoured to create a meaningful playground for pupils in this city. Organising this contest is one of our efforts to show our commitment to the development of Vietnamese students and to create a frequent academic playground that helps build confidence and winning results.”

Contest registration is open until October 4. Pupils can register at their schools or online at http://apollo.edu.vn/olympic.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Olympic English contest launched

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:02:28 +0000

Registration opened yesterday for the Olympic English Contest 2010 in HCM City for high school pupils who wish to practice English and gain essential skills

Poor English language skills, teaching hinder Vietnamese

British University Vietnam established in Hanoi

Forty university students win English-speaking contest

Students in class at the Apollo language centre in Ha Noi. (Photo: VNS)

The three-round contest, being held jointly by Apollo English and the Department of Education and Training of HCM City, is open to 10th and 11th grade pupils from all HCM City high schools.

Second round contestants will be challenged with a 50-question multiple choice test and a 50-question listening test.

The final round will include two parts: a quick Q&A session and an oral presentation session.

Contest registration is open until October 4. Pupils can register at their schools or online at http://apollo.edu.vn/olympic.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

A picture is worth a thousand jobs, say graduates

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:02:19 +0000

Obeying Circular No. 22 by MOET, since 2010 universities have provided diplomas in a new form without a photo of the degree-holders.

VnnNews – Obeying Circular No. 22 by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), since 2010 universities have provided diplomas in a new form without a photo of the degree-holders. As a result, graduates complain that they are being rejected because of these documents.

Distance learning programs unlicensed, but undeterred

University enrolment in 2009: mid-ranking universities are much in demand

Vietnam, Belgium universities cooperate in postgraduate training

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Nguyen Van Thanh from Thanh Hoa province has been looking high and low for many months for a job after he graduated from Hanoi Open University in accounting. No employer has recruited him, because his diploma has no photo.

Pham Thi Tinh, Thanh’s mother sadly explained to Tien phong reporters that, four years ago, when Thanh passed the university entrance exams, she was so happy, because she thought that after finishing the university, Thanh will be able to find a good job to feed his family. She paid for school with money borrowed from relatives and it is now the time for her to pay these debts. However, to date, Thanh still has not found any job.

Pham Anh Phuong also has graduated with an accounting degree from Hanoi Open University and is facing the same situation. She graduated in September and has been applying for jobs in Hanoi and HCM City, but no one has accepted her. When Phuong called to check on her applications, she was told that personnel officers need to verify her information, because her diploma lacks her picture.

This helped Phuong understand why another student, who finished the same school last year, found a job, while Phuong has not.

Dinh Viet Tuan, Deputy Director of ASIMCO Company, noted: “The candidates, who applied for jobs in the last few years could all show university degrees with their photos. I cannot understand why students who finished schools this year do not have any photos. We need to clarify the matter before we decide to recruit the candidates.”

Tuan added that university diplomas with photos help employers in personnel recruitment and management.

Bui Viet Bao, Personnel Director of Thanh Cong Automobile Group, noted that, in theory, the group carefully considers curriculum vitas of candidates before organizing competitions and interviews. At present, all workers at Thanh Cong have degrees and certificates with the necessary photos.

“We must verify information carefully, even when degrees have photos, let alone those without photos. Therefore, we will refuse the candidates who cannot present diplomas with photos,” he added.

When Bao heard that the education ministry released a new decision stipulating that bachelors’ photos are not needed on their degrees, he said that, if so, it will take employers much more time to verify information.

Tran Quang Quy, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, has confirmed that from 2010, university degrees will not have photos. He stressed that if universities grant degrees with photos, they violate current regulations.

Chu Ngoc Thanh, Director of the Legal Department under MOET, explained that degrees and certificates are documents that will be valid for an entire lifetime, so they cannot be managed by photos. Degrees and certificates are not similar to identity cards or passports, which are only valid for a limited time.

He said that many modern countries have shifted management to the Internet. Employers just need to search online to find out if a degree is real or counterfeit.

Source: Tien phong