Starting with the 2010-2011 academic year, the MOET will begin implementing 10-year foreign language training programs.

VietNamNet Bridge – Starting with the 2010-2011 academic year, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) will begin implementing 10-year foreign language training programs. Students will study foreign languages from the 3^rd to 12^th grades. Education experts, however, have doubts about its efficacy.

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Under the program, 20 percent of third grade students will learn foreign languages, a figure that will be extended to 70 percent by 2015-2016 and then to 100 percent by 2018-2019.

As for English, graduates of primary schools will have first class level (IELTS: 1, TOEFL: 100), graduates of secondary schools will have second class level (IELTS: 2, TOEFL: 200), and graduates of high schools will have third class level (IELTS: 3, TOEFL: 300).

A difficult question

The program to intensify foreign language acquisition aims to renovate the teaching and learning of foreign languages in the national education system. Advocates hope to make foreign language skills the strong point of Vietnamese people by 2020.

Education specialists still have their doubts.

Le Ngoc Diep, Head of the Primary Education Division under HCM City Education and Training Department, commented that the city can have 20 percent of 3^rd graders learning foreign languages as a compulsory subject from the 2010-2011 school year. After that, however, it would be very difficult to extend the number to 70 and 100 percent.

According to Diep, the shortage of foreign language teachers is the biggest problem.

Diep has every reason to worry. To implement the program effectively, teachers must be qualified to teach students so that they can meet international standards. HCM City has been teaching foreign languages to primary school students on a trial basis for the last 11 years, but Diep finds it very difficult to recruit qualified teachers. That’s why the city’s program on teaching foreign languages can meet only 10 percent of the demand from primary school students.

The lack of students is also a big worry in other provinces and cities. Le Minh Hoang, Director of Dong Nai Education and Training, noted that their numbers of English teachers for primary schools is very few. To have even 20 percent of third graders learning foreign languages, the province must ask secondary school teachers to teach primary school students, while only students in central areas will be able to learn foreign languages.

In Can Tho, the Education and Training Department Acting Director Tran Trong Khiem observed that, even in the best case scenario, the city would only be able to provide English teachers for 20 percent of third graders in central areas.

Teachers give up job

One reason for the lack of foreign language teachers is that many qualified instructors have left the job because of the low pay.

Hoang Thi Hong Hai, former Head of Tan Phu district’s education sub-department, witnessed many qualified teachers resigning over many years.

Le Ngoc Diep agreed that the income of English teachers is too low compared with other jobs, so it’s very difficult to retain qualified teachers.

Additionally, other problems such as material facilities and teaching aids will also affect the quality of instruction.

Diep posited that, in order to undertake the program, third grade students need to attend school mornings and afternoons, and there must not be more than 35 students per class. Yet it is impossible to limit the student-teacher ratio due to the high enrollments.

Source: Nguoi lao dong