LookAtVietnam – Student evaluations of lecturers has kicked off at many universities. Many schools doubt the relevancy of these assessments.

Can complained that it is very difficult to develop a fair questionnaire and obtain accurate assessments. He theorized that sometimes students evaluate an instructor based on their personal feelings.

“Students may like the lecturers who are always punctual, though they do not have deep knowledge. Meanwhile, a professor who is too serious would not be favored by the students, even though he or she has good qualifications,” Can argued. He added that universities need to be very cautious in weighing assessments by students.

Can admitted that his university has turned away ten visiting lecturers with “low marks” on student evaluations.

At the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, assessments have been carried out for the last four years. The university provides forms to students that include questions about the quality of syllabi and lesson plans, teaching methods of lecturers, and the number of teaching hours.

Every lecturer receives a CD showing the scanned questionnaires as proof of the assessment directly from the Dean. Lecturers who do not receive “satisfactory” ratings must have a “dialogue” with the president.

Some educators doubt the significance of the assessment.

Dr Ngo Dac Chung, Deputy Resident of the Hue city University of Education, said that the assessment does not have much significance because the results are not made public.

Dr Le Khac Cuong from HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, also believes that it is necessary to make the evaluations public in order to force unqualified lecturers to improve.

Chung said that the assessment only aims to find out which lecturers cannot meet requirements, but the universities still do not know what they will do with substandard instructors.

Meanwhile, most universities said that the evaluations are only for reference, and not for use in assessing lecturers’ capabilities.

Not all university students can evaluate their lecturers. Cash-strapped universities must pay for the assessment process, including the questionnaire printing.

“We do not have enough money for all students to join in the assessment,” claimed Nguyen Tien Dung, Head of the Training Division of the HCM City University of Polytechnic Education. “We have to print 45,000-60,000 questionaires for each assessment, which costs some 50 million dong.”

VietNamNet/NLD