VietNamNet Bridge – The English skill of Vietnamese students remains at a low level in comparison with students in regional countries. Vietnamese students are not capable enough to use English in learning and research.

By 2012, students of four study branches, information technology, finance & banking, business administration and tourism, will hear lecturers in English

Before the workshop’s opening, MOET sent a questionnaire to 162 non-English major universities throughout the country and received replies from 59. What the ministry found from the survey was that the English skill of Vietnamese students is at a low level in comparison with students in regional countries.

87.2% of the surveyed universities said they set goals when compiling syllabuses for English teaching. However, the goals prove to be vague with no detailed criteria on the standards of English skills every year and the level of English learners should have at graduation. Only 15.6% of universities said they regularly amend syllabuses and teaching documents to improve teaching quality.

MOET has cited several reasons to explain the inefficiency of English teaching. No standard for English skills at different levels has been set, while this proves to be very necessary to serve the compilation of teaching documents, textbooks and syllabuses. A necessary progression does not exist in English teaching at different educational levels (primary, secondary, high school and university).

Meanwhile, the ministry has also pointed out that a lot of English teachers do not have opportunities for regular training. Many of them do not have opportunities to regularly communicate in English; thus, they lose active communication skills.

The examination and assessment of English teaching skills are still been carried out in the old way, with the focus on reading skill and geographical exercises. They do not pay appropriate attention to communication skills as required by newer teaching methods.

MOET has suggested a lot of measures to settle the problems. By 2012, students of four study branches, information technology, finance & banking, business administration and tourism, will hear lecturers in English. By 2020, English will be a teaching language for study branches which have high social demand.

The ministry allows and encourages students to learn English in advance and shorten the duration of required English learning. Vietnam will have an independent system of English skill recognition. There will be regulations on exempting English learning and examinations for students who have certificates of English granted by international or recognised domestic institutions.

(Source: KT & DT)