The plethora of new facilities and branches opened by HCM City universities and colleges has only made life more difficult for them, students say.

With the number of enrolments increasing each year, many universities and colleges in the city have expanded facilities and opened new branches in many districts around the city.

Besides its main building in District 5, the Hong Bang College has five branches in several districts including Binh Thanh, Go Vap and Tan Binh. “These branches of the college are far from each other,” Nguyen Van Khanh, a second-year student of the college said.

“We’re often caught in traffic jams travelling between Binh Thanh and District 5. Several students and I always get to classes late,” Khanh said.

Tran Thanh Thuy, a first-year student at Ton Duc Thang College, takes classes in the college’s main building in Binh Thanh District, but has to travel frequently to District 7, 10kms away, for other classes.

Like Thuy, many students at the Ton Duc Thang College must visit at least two places for lessons each day due to a shortage of classrooms.

While construction of more classrooms is still underway at the Ton Duc Thang College’s branch in District 7, lessons are being given at newly built rooms at this branch since last month.

“It’s dusty and noisy in the new campus, ” a student said.

“The country now has nearly 400 universities and colleges, up from 100 two decades ago,” said Prof. Pham Minh Hac, former Minister of Education and Training.

In HCM City, most colleges and universities are facing a shortage of rooms and facilities despite the construction of some high-rise buildings on campuses of some schools including the Social Sciences and Humanities College and the College of Industries.

The Economics College has six branches in four districts including District 1 and 10.

A recent notice posted in the college said students of a number of faculties will have to attend classes at different branches each day.

Students of the international trade faculty will have lectures given at three branches in District 10 and District 1, the notice said.

“On Wednesday, I’ll have classes at lecture-room B at the college’s District 10 branch on Nguyen Tri Phuong Street,” said student Nguyen Van Phuong.

“On Thursday, I’ll study at the District 1 branch and on Friday, at room C of the college’s branch in District 10’s Ba Thang Hai Street,” Phuong said. “We think that managers of higher education centres should think more about the convenience of students rather than profit,” father of a student at Hong Bang College said.

“Renting a house to open classes in Go Vap District is much cheaper than that in Districts 1 or 3 and many managers choose Tan Binh or Go Vap for branches,” he said.

A recent survey by the Ministry of Education and Training showed that nearly 30 universities and colleges in the country’s big cities have floor space of less than 10ha. The per capita space for students is 2.67sq.m as against the standard stipulated by the ministry of 23sq.m.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News