LookAtVietnam – Prestigious, high-quality schools in Hanoi have kicked off their competitions for students who hope to enroll for the 2010-2011 school year.

Prestigious, high-quality schools in Hanoi have kicked off their competitions for students who hope to enroll for the 2010-2011 school year.

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Under current regulations, state-owned schools are not allowed to organize contests to choose first and sixth grade students. The schools simply check student profiles to decide on enrollment.

Meanwhile, prestigious private-run schools such as Nguyen Sieu, Doan Thi Diem, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Le Quy Don and Ly Thai To all organize entrance exams.

Nguyen Sieu Private School received exam applications from March 3 to April 17. They report that 500 applications have been made, but the school will accept receive only 130 students.

It is more and more difficult to enter prestigious private schools due to heated competition. More parents want to bring their children to these schools, even though tuition runs very high at $140 a month.

Doan Thi Diem School plans to receive applications for entrance exams from May 4 to June 12. The school will enroll 300 students for 10 classes and plans to set up four international classes, with 24 students per class.

Last year, 1500 students attended the school’s entrance exam. Students in international classes must take an additional test to measure their English skills.

As students must take exams for prestigious private schools, they prepare intensively. On Den Than.com education forum, parents are now discussing how to obtain a place at the schools.

A parent with the nickname ‘Nice…” wrote: “Please help me. Please send me the documents to prepare my child for the examination. He still cannot read and write”. A mother replied: “Buy the set of books that help develop logical thought.” Another wrote: “You should bring the child to the school’s ‘Tuoi Tho’ club, which has been open since March.”

To prepare for exams, most children must attend extra classes one a week at least. On average, tuition is 500,000 a month.

Tien Phong newspaper quoted Le Tien Thanh, Director of the Primary Education Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, as saying that the ministry does not allow exams to select first grade students, but they can only control state-owned schools. “Examinations or contests will put pressure on children,” he warned.

Source: Tien phong