VietNamNet Bridge – MOET said that it plans to propose raising the exam fee collected from those who register to take university entrance exams in order to minimise the number of ‘virtual’ examinees.

MOET tries to minimise the number of virtual examinees

At the 2009 enrolment conference held several days ago, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Banh Tien Long said that the ministry plans to have a working session with the Ministry of Finance on the proposal on raising the exam fee.

However, Long admitted that it is not very likely the proposal will be accepted. The solution to the problem may be that the state will give financial support to universities at the higher level.

However, Long declined to reveal what the ‘higher level’ will be that the ministry will suggest to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

In 2008 enrolment season, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) asked for VND10,000 per examinee.

Some universities have suggested collecting two types of fee, the examination registration fee and the exam fee, which Long thinks a ‘reasonable proposal’.

MOET is still working with MOF to reach a consensus between them before MOET declares the enrolment quotas for universities.

In fact, the proposal of collecting two types of fees was once discussed in 2008. However, the collection was not implemented in the 2008 university enrolment season, as MOET and MOF agreed that this was a ‘sensitive’ time, when commodity price increases were badly affecting people.

Bui Duy Cam, Rector of the University for Natural Sciences under the Hanoi National University, stressed the need to collect two types of fees in the 2009 enrolment season.

Universities say that in general, only 50-70% of registered students take exams in reality. The universities have also urged MOET to take measures to force students to think carefully before registering for exams in order to minimise the number of virtual examinees.

It was estimated that there were some 300,000 virtual students in 2008. Several billion VND was wasted on virtual students. Universities wasted some VND1bil on leasing examining rooms for students who did not come to take exams and VND2-3bil on printing examination questions.

Junior colleges estimate some 200,000 virtual students in 2008, for which they reported the loss of over VND8bil.

Although the state compensated universities for losses in 2008, according to Ta Quang Lam, Deputy Head of the Training Division under the HCM City Pedagogical University, in the context of price increases, universities need VND50,000 per examinee.

VietNamNet/VnMedia