VietNamNet Bridge – The year 2008 has gone, but many things that occurred with Vietnam’s education in the year are still worth recalling.

On June 23, 2008, Deputy Prime Minister and MOET Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan signed the notice on introduction of candidates to the post of Deputy Minister of MOET who would replace Deputy Minister Tran Van Nhung, who retired in October. While it was unclear who would take the post from Mr Nhung, MOET released a notice on recruiting another deputy minister.

MOET, schools jump into non-education fields

The year 2008 witnessed the participation of educators in many fields which are not under the management of MOET.

The ministry has taken responsibility for taking care of five outstanding historical relics.

The head of the ministry himself has come forward and supervised and sped up the taking care of Dong Loc T-junction historical relics.

During the war of resistance against the US, Dong Loc T-junction played a vital role in the transport of necessities and ammunitions from the North to the South. Between 1965-1968, the US army dropped nearly 50,000 bombs and fired tens of thousands of missiles on T-junction in the hope of stopping the Vietnamese soldiers’ transport of provisions to the southern front.

The Ha Tinh Education and Training Department has joined forces with the Pre-school Education Department under MOET, to be responsible for eight soapberry, and two pomelo plants here. Meanwhile, the ministry’s Material Facilities Department has taken responsibility for the building of 10 monuments. By December 2008, nearly 3,000 historical and cultural relics had found schools which assumed duties of taking care of them.

Shortcomings of Vietnam’s education admitted

On December 18, MOET released a report which showed the problems of Vietnam’s education, but denied the opinion that Vietnam’s education is at a standstill which cannot be broken.

The report pointed out that the shortcomings of education have existed for more than 20 years. The six biggest problems of Vietnam’s education were identified, which was described as straight talk by the MOET and educators.

The ‘initiative’ of correcting textbooks

The biggest ever programme on reviewing textbooks took place in May 2008, involving the participation of 20,000 of 35,000 schools nationwide.

The result of the programme was a decision by MOET which had never been seen in history before: printing books to correct textbooks.

On September 9, MOET officially approved the content of the correction book. However, finally, MOET decided not to print the correction book, but print leaflets to be added into textbooks.

Problems in higher education pointed out

When reviewing the 10 years of developing the higher education system, MOET, for the first time, admitted to problems in higher education. A lot of universities still enroll students even when they have poor infrastructure and material facilities. The quality of higher education also remains problematic.

Improving the quality of universities and junior colleges has been defined as one of the most important tasks of the education sector in 2009.

The winter call

On September 2008, MOET called for teachers, education staffs, organisations, businesses and parents to donate textbooks, learning aids and clothes to help students and teachers in remote and difficult areas.

In just two months, VND18bil, 1,120,999 textbooks, 40 tonnes of clothes had been raised.

Education network connected

By the end of 2008, 100% of local education departments, 60-70% of universities and high schools had the Internet. By 2010, Vietnam strives to have 100% of Vietnam’s education system have access to the Internet. This is a big goal of Vietnam’s education.

Looking for wonderful teachers

At the end of 2008, MOET hurriedly asked local education departments to introduce teachers in provinces and cities who have attained outstanding achievements to the ministry, so that the ministry could commend and reward them.

(Source: Dan tri)