Students who fail university entrance exams always decide to repeat exams the next year. None think that vocational school is a good choice in this context.

Truong Thi Tuyet Phung, an official of Can Gio District Education Sub-department, also observed that a large number of 10^th and 11^th grade students quit school every year.

Last year, 2,538 students in HCM City failed the final high school exam. In District 7 alone, 76 percent of students failed the university entrance exams.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, some 550,000-580,000 students finish secondary school every year and do not continue at the high school level. If students are not trained as skilled workers and they go directly on the labour market, this is a big waste and a heavy burden for modern society.

Huynh Cong Minh, Director of the HCM City Education and Training Department, affirmed that though the students may perform poorly in general schools, they can still do well at vocational schools.

Why not attract these students to vocational schools then?

The answer is that the career consultancy has not been carried out well and thus students do not think that vocational school is a good choice.

Tran Phuoc Duc, Headmaster of the Ngo Quyen High School, said that career consultants had not targeted parents, who often play a decisive role in their children’s careers.

Experts also pointed out that in order to persuade students to study at vocational schools, the schools need to be attractive. Tien suggested that high school students be brought on visits, so that they can have better understanding about vocational schools and about their future job opportunities once they graduate. The excursion would also allow students to see with their own eyes the material facilities of the schools, which may help persuade them to study at the schools.

Vocational schools have called on the State to inject more money in their institutions. Good investment and suitable tuition levels are also factors that can bring in more students.

Nguyen Duc Trung, Headmaster of the Nguyen Huu Canh Polytechnical School, argued that the schools need to become attractive places that students choose when they plan their futures, not just places students go when they have no other choice.

Minh Quyen