Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan

The biggest advantage of Vietnamese students is that they are very diligent; while the biggest disadvantage is that they lack creativity. This is not the fault of Vietnamese students. I can say that this is the fault of the educational methods.

Student from the Hanoi University of Technology: What was your first dream? What did you do to fulfill your dream, and did the dream become realistic?

My dream did not become true. When I was young, I dreamt of becoming an architect, but I went a different way to become Deputy Prime Minister. However, I have always tried to fulfill the tasks assigned to me because I want to make my contribution to the development of our country.

Student from Hanoi University of Technology: My dream in childhood was to become an engineer, and now I’m learning to become an engineer. Please tell me how I can go a different way to become the Deputy Prime Minister like you?

At my times, we had difficulties such that we cannot choose our work, but we have to do the assigned tasks. But it is different now. If you decide to become Deputy Prime Minister, you should strive to become Deputy Prime Minister.

In 1954, I was sent by the Communist Party and State to the former Soviet Union to study. After 9-10 months of studying, I was appointed to work at Vietnam’s Embassy in the Soviet Union. In 1961, I went to the University of Foreign Relations in the country to continue my studies. However, I returned home after two years of studying.

When I returned home, I was told that I have to work now and there was no need to continue studying, and that I just had to sit the exams to get the degree of diplomat. I took the exams and I got the degree, but I did not study at school, I just learned from real-life.

You, students now, have much more favourable conditions, because you can study at school.

Student from the University of Labour and Social Affairs: I’m now a last-year student. What will I do when I graduate, if I don’t have a house in Hanoi or a job in Hanoi? Do you think should I return to my home village? But the development level in my home village is still low. What should I do?

Vietnam is a large country, and jobs are available everywhere, not only in Hanoi or HCM City. The problem now is whether you would dare go to the places where you can devote yourself to the country’s development, including your home village. If you choose to stay in Hanoi, you need to work hard to buy motorbikes, cars, and houses. No one will bring these things to you.

(Source: Tien phong)

Update from: http://english.vietnamnet.vn//education/2008/11/814720/