Training centers for university entrance exams in Ho Chi Minh City and other major cities, which were full of students by this time last year, are poorly patronized now.

The number of students has fallen by more than half from last year, with even top centers reporting a 30 percent drop. Several have had to close down. In places like Binh Thanh District’s D2, Ung Van Khiem, and Dinh Bo Linh Streets, which used to be training-center hubs, it is hard to find a single one now.

“Last year, we had to rent many places and cram many students into each class to meet the demand. But this year, we are combining several classes into one to have enough students in the class,” an employee of Khai Sang Training Center said.

Students have become wiser and tend to pick schools that are appropriate for their learning capabilities, said Dr. Nguyen Van Phuc, director of the Ho Chi Minh City National University’s Center for Human Resources Development Vietnam.

As a result, they no longer have to cram at training centers, he added.

An official from the Ministry of Education and Training said 70-80 percent of the questions asked in the entrance tests are of basic 12th grade standard and reasonably good school students should be able to get above average marks without going to the training centers.

Besides, many city high schools have their own training centers. They have also expanded the syllabus to benefit students.

VietNamNet/SGGP