In an effort to show what issues interest readers the most, VietNamNet would like to introduce the nine topics that caught the most attention from readers in 2010.

1. Young staff left MOET

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In early 2010, when the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) was busy with its renovation and restructuring, the ministry also released a notice that it would employ new officers for 11 of its departments. The problem was that many officers left the ministry for other jobs that would bring them higher income. The disparity between the salaries offered by the state and by enterprises prompted many people leave in search of other opportunities. However, it is undeniable that working for MOET remains a “dream” of many people.

2. 13-year-old students can be enrolled to universities in Vietnam

Widely known instances of foreign students finishing university at a juvenile age of 11-16 raised an argument of whether Vietnam should enroll 13-year-old students to universities. Several educators said they cannot see any problems with enrolling young students to universities. However, in Vietnam, no student has reportedly accelerated their studies to enter universities sooner than expected, even when Vietnamese laws do not set limit on the age of university students.

3. Overseas Vietnamese PhDs talk about universities in Vietnam

2010 was the first year for a 3-year program on to renovate university education initiated by the government. On official forums, leaders of universities ebulliently discussed the renovation. The forums attracted the participation of overseas Vietnamese lecturers and educators. Many issues have been mentioned, including the purposes of studies, PhD training and human resources in the university environment.

4. The technical error and the responsibility of MOET

On February 23, 2010, MOET announced a draft legal document on conditions to open new university and junior college training branches, aiming to tighten the control over opening of new branches. The draft document included relatively strict regulations. However, the draft document also included a provision which surprised many people. The ministry attempted to prevent non-state schools from giving training in some fields, including law, journalism and pedagogy.

The tentative regulation immediately raised controversy from educators, especially from non-state schools, which called this “unfair treatment” between state-owned and non-state schools.

5. Arguments about “The road to Olympia” competition’s result

“The road to Olympia”, the intellectual playing field for high school students, which has existed for 10 years, has always caught special attention from viewers. The laurel wreath was given to a student from the Hanoi-Amsterdam Gifted School. However, at the time arguments were still raised, because people believed that the victory was not convincing. However, most of VietNamNet’s readers believed that Nguyen Minh Duc, the student from the Hanoi-Amsterdam School deserved the victory.

6. The moving letter in the “thank-you” ceremony

Organizing a thank-you ceremony on the last day of the school year is an initiative of the movement “friendly schools, active students” launched by MOET. In the morning of May 26, at the thank-you ceremony of Nguyen Trai High School in Hai Duong province, a student majoring in mathematics read a letter to his mother which made many participants shed tears. The letter was then sent to VietNamNet to be shared with readers.

7. The movement of going studying abroad

Preparing for children to study abroad has become a fashion of well-off families in big urban areas in Vietnam. On a well known forum about Vietnamese children, people can read a story about how family members became extremely happy when hearing that their boy enrolled in a school in Singapore. The boy’s grandparents were so happy that they uttered: “My grandson now can become a man”.

8. The stories about Professor Ngo Bao Chau

A lot of stories were posted about Vietnamese Professor Ngo Bao Chau, who won the Fields Medal, the most honorable award in mathematics. Chau’s friends and colleagues, like all Vietnamese people who take pride in Vietnamese talent, wrote stories about Ngo Bao Chau and recalled their memories about the professor.

10. The shoeshine boy passed the exam to university

Nguyen Van Phuc, a shoeshine boy, became a new student of the Academy for Journalism and Propaganda after he passed the university entrance exams. Phuc has spent 10 years polishing shoes to earn his living and he will continue this job to earn money to fund his study.

Tu Uyen

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