LookAtVietnam – While teachers know their subjects increasingly experts believe that it’s there inability to teach knowledge to their students that is education’s biggest problem.

A recent survey conducted by associate professor Dr Nguyen Thanh Binh from the Hanoi University of Education said that the lack of confidence makes 50 percent of trainee teachers want to change their jobs after their practice period.

Nguyen Huy Tuan, MA, also from the Hanoi University of Education, said that many students think wrongly that they can be good teachers if they have good knowledge and they do not need to have teaching skills.

Meanwhile, other educators have pointed out problems in the curriculums of education universities’ students.

It seems that education universities, which provide teachers to general schools, do not care what general schools need. Therefore, they are providing the products that are rich in professional scientific knowledge and poor in pedagogical skills.

Tuan said that over 90 percent of lecturers of education universities have never taught at general schools, which explains why they lack experience

Nguyen Thi Kim Lien from the HCM City University of Education said that university lecturers need to cooperate closely with general schools. She said that university lecturers need to teach well at universities and become proficient in teaching certain subjects at general schools.

Lien said that in Finland, teacher trainers take pride in having two jobs. One at universities, and the other at a general school. She believes that effective cooperation between universities and general schools is within reach if this is considered a compulsory requirement.

Professor Phan Trong Luan from the Hanoi University of Education stressed that it is now necessary to change the mistaken viewpoint that everyone can become teachers if they have scientific knowledge. Luan said that for a long time, teaching method has not been considered a science, just a skill.

Deputy minister of education and Training Nguyen Vinh Hien has urged universities to check curriculums. Besides, he said that education universities’ students need to be given opportunities to practice teaching before becoming real teachers.

Hien also mentioned the establishment of a council of presidents of education universities. The council will gather regularly to exchange view on teaching methods, curriculums, training teachers and cooperation among education schools.

VietNamNet/NLD