Deputy Minister of Education and Training Bui Van Ga has informed the press that the ministry will take actions to more strictly control the quality of in-service training. The announcement was made after the Da Nang City’s authorities decided not to recruit in-service training graduates for its state agencies.

The report released by the National Assembly shows that at some universities the number of students following in-service training courses is even bigger than the number of regular training students. Do you think that this is reasonable?

In 2010, the Ministry of Education and Training decided to reduce the “quota” for non-regular training to 70 percent of regular training quota. The ministry is also considering further tightening this mode of training in order to ensure the quality of in-service training.

Could you please tell us what the ministry will do to tighten the quality of in-service training?

The quota for non-regular training will be granted to schools based on their general capability. The ministry is considering setting up general principles for quota allocation.

We may consider allocating quotas in accordance with training branches. If so, this will prevent the situation in which some training programs have too many students, while other necessary training programs are lacking students. For example, polytechnical study branches really need in-service students but very few people have registered the training courses

Da Nang City’s authorities have said “no” to in-service training graduates. Other localities have not made official announcement, but an unwritten rule has been existing that in-service training graduates have not been chosen. Why do employers refuse in-service training graduates?

Many developed countries, such as France, have been maintaining in-service training, because it allows people to keep studying and working at the same time. The sciences and technologies have been developing very rapidly, therefore, people need to keep studying to get adapted to the new environment.

In principle, in-service training or regular training students must follow the same training curriculums and the degrees they receive have the same values. The only difference in regular and non-regular training is that non-regular training courses are designed in the way to create favorable conditions for the people who cannot spend all their time on studying.

Has the Ministry of Education and Training made a survey to find out the efficiency of in-service training?

The demand for in-service training can be seen in the high number of registered students. Following in-service training courses is the good opportunity for those people working fulltime jobs to improve their skills.

I have to affirm that the degrees for in-service and regular training graduates have the same value. However, the difference is that the degrees for in-service training graduates clearly show the mode of training, in-service or regular training. In other countries, the words “in-service” or “regular” training are not seen in the degrees. Both in-service and regular training students get the same kind of degrees.

You have affirmed that the curriculum is the same for in-service and regular training students, and the value of in-service and regular training degrees is also the same. Why doesn’t MOET think of abandoning the words “in-service” or “regular” training in the degrees, then?

I still cannot give you an answer right now. The regulation has been existing for a long time.

Kieu Oanh