VietNamNet Bridge – The 2009-2020 education strategy is still facing strong opposition from scientists and educators even though it has experienced 14 adjustments.

Professor Dr. Nguyen Minh Thuyet, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children

I think that the starting point should be 2011, the year when the 11^th Communist Party Congress takes place.

I also think that the suggested finish time in 2020 proves to be unreasonable, as ten years prove to be too short for a strategic project.

Strategy compilers said that the compilation has had the highest participation of leading educators and scientists.

I cannot see the names of prestigious scientists and educators of universities and research institute, except the Vietnam Education Science Institute. You may know that the Education Research Institute, fewer than one of the two biggest universities of education, ‘strafed’ the draft strategy. As far as I know, many scientists had not heard about the existence of the education development strategy until it was made public.

What are your comments about the key points of the draft strategy?

We need to recognize the efforts by the compilers, but I have to say that the draft strategy cannot meet the requirement.

People’s Teacher Professor Nguyen Ngoc Lanh, in his article wrote that the draft strategy lacks a very important solution, the one that rewards labourers devoting themselves to the education and training. Do you agree with Lanh’s point of view?

I think that Professor Lanh is reasonable. In fact, the draft strategy has mentioned the issue, but this still has problems. Once the life and learning conditions of teachers and students remain in difficulties, we cannot expect the education to have ‘best quality.’ In other words, it is impossible to ensure to have the best quality education with limited expenses.

There, in the draft strategy, are the targets which cannot be obtained, and the targets which should not be set up.

Which targets do you think cannot be obtained?

The draft strategy said that by 2010, all universities will change into the credit-based scheme, and I believe that this proves to be unfeasible as our material facilities still cannot meet the requirements. As for general education, the target of 99% of children going to primary schools and secondary schools proves to be out of reach due to the difficult financial difficulties in many localities.

How about the targets that you think are unnecessary?

In terms of higher education, the draft strategy said that by 2020, Vietnam will have 450 students per 10,000 people, an unnecessarily high figure.

The draft strategy compilers said that they set the ratio after considering the figure in Thailand. However, I’m afraid some mistakes exist here. Thailand’s ratio may be 400 or 500 students per 10,000 students, but the country calculates the number of students based on credits. A person would be counted on as a student even though he learns one credit only.

Besides, the target of obtaining at least one university listed among the world’s top universities also proves to be unfeasible.

The 2009-2020 draft strategy has made record in the duration of compilation and the times of adjustment. Professor Chu Hao recently suggested that the draft strategy should be done all over again instead of being put for the 15^th adjustment. What is your viewpoint about that?

We still use the materials and documents compilers have collected, and use the experience we have got from the previous 14 adjustments. However, we should start again from the beginning in terms of thinking. I think that the Ministry of Education and Training should keep calm, come forward, and gather leading scientists to draft a feasible and scientific strategy.

You have said that we should keep calm, while many scientists said that it is now too late to compile the strategy?

I think that we still will be able to begin implementing the strategy in 2011 if we begin compiling the strategy right now.

VietNamNet/Dan tri