Education in Vietnam
Encyclopedia
Giáo Dục Việt Nam chia làm 5 cấp học: pre-primary, primary, intermediate, secondary, and higher education. Giáo dục chính qui gồm 12 năm học cơ bản. Giáo dục cơ bản bao gồm 5 năm Giáo dục tiểu học, 4 năm Giáo dục Trung học cơ sở và 3 năm Trung học Phổ thông . Đa số các học sinh tham gia giáo dục cơ bản are enrolled on a half-day basis.
With one of the highest GDP growths rates in Asia, Vietnam is currently trying to overhaul its education system, Với ý định chuẩn bị cho học sinh về vai trò của Tiếng Anh như một ngôn ngữ thương mại và tầm quan trọng của việc quốc tế hoá hệ thống giáo dục nhằm đảm bảo một lực lương lao động đã qua đào tạo để duy trì tốc độ tăng trưởng kinh tế trong vòng 2 thập kỉ cuối.
while the second one begins right after the first one and last until June.
and basic arithmetic
. This level of education tends to be popular in major cities such as Hanoi
, Ho Chi Minh City
, Da Nang
, Hai Phong, Can Tho and Vung Tau
.
for secondary schooling. The IGE score determines the schools at which students are able to enroll. The higher the score, the more prestigious the school.
All subjects are compulsory for students.
Advanced classes consists of either:
At the start of secondary school students can enroll in Specialist Classes if they pass the class entrance exam, which usually consists of a Mathematics exam, a Literature exam and an exam of the subject that the student wants to specialize in. The specialist subject can be any of the subjects listed above, except Technology, Physical Education and Civics. Students enrolled in these programs have a heavier workload than regular secondary school students. The workload varies from school to school, but grade 11 students are generally expected to study grade 12 courses concurrently. Other courses include university-level courses. Some schools go as far as requiring their students to finish secondary school by the end of grade 10.
Only prestigious schools offer these classes, and they have yet to be standardized.
. Students still have to pass their regular end-of-term examinations along with passing the Leaving Examination.
The Leaving Examination includes six subjects: mathematics, Vietnamese literature
, foreign language and three other subjects determined by the Ministry of Education and Training
. Students usually sit for The Leaving Examination in late May or early June.
. High school graduates need high scores to be admitted to universities. Securing a place in a public university is considered a major step towards a successful career, especially for those from rural areas or disadvantaged families. The pressure on the candidates therefore remains very high despite the measures taken to reduce the importance of these exams. In 2004, it was estimated that nearly one million students took the exam, but on average only 20% passed.
Normally, candidates take three exams; each lasts 180 minutes for the fixed group of subjects they choose. There are 4 fixed groups of subjects:
Besides, there are also groups H, M, N, R, T and V.
Candidates have a total of four attempts at the examination.
Most of Vietnam's universities also offer master's (2 years) and Doctor of Philosophy
(4 years) degrees.
In addition to universities, there are community colleges, art and technology institutes, professional secondary schools, and vocational schools which offer degrees or certificates after courses lasting from a-few-months to 2-years.
, there are currently 23 private universities, accounting for 11% of the total. These private universities are currently training 119,464 students, 11.7% of the total student body. The government is planning to increase the private universities' share of the sector to 30% by 2011.
The presence of foreign universities is increasing. Universities such as RMIT
and University of Hawaii
offer degrees in fields such as business, English as a Second Language and Information Technology
. Running a foreign education system in Vietnam is challenging. Quality control and affordability are key issues, as well as red tape
.
, a lecturer-centered method of teaching and learning, a lack of linkage between teaching and research activities, and a large discord between theory
and practical training that leads to a large number of graduates being unable to find a job while skills shortages drive inflation to double-digit levels.
Aside from degrees offered by foreign universities, qualifications from Vietnamese universities are not recognized worldwide.
Teaching methods delivered in the public system are teacher-oriented. Class discussions are uncommon, and students are expected to be studious and passively attentive in the classroom. This method is a reflection of colonial influence and is a sharp contrast to American and British pedagogy, where interaction and debate are more prominent.
Advanced and specialized high school students are generally expected to study additional courses, which can amount to a total of nine periods a day. Parents also enroll their children into cram schools. Regular teachers usually teach these cram sessions themselves as a means of supplementing their income. Students who do not attend these sessions are usually at a disadvantage, as materials appearing on tests and exams are often covered only in cram schools.
Public schools are under-funded. Currently, only primary schools are subsidized by the government to 50% of the total tuition cost. The drop-out rate after fifth grade is high and most students cannot afford to attend higher senior high school and university due to poverty. The average monthly salary of local Vietnamese public teachers is between 60USD and 100USD, so many supplement their income by working in the private sector or as tutors.
Private language centers offering English as a Second Language are in high demand in the larger cities of Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City
. Students flock to these schools to increase their employment opportunities. These classes are usually taught by foreign expatriates who are generally paid between 10USD-20USD per hour, depending on both their qualifications and the quality of the school. Lower standards in some of the lower-paying schools have resulted in low-quality teachers (known to the local community as "backpacker teachers") proliferating.
With one of the highest GDP growths rates in Asia, Vietnam is currently trying to overhaul its education system, Với ý định chuẩn bị cho học sinh về vai trò của Tiếng Anh như một ngôn ngữ thương mại và tầm quan trọng của việc quốc tế hoá hệ thống giáo dục nhằm đảm bảo một lực lương lao động đã qua đào tạo để duy trì tốc độ tăng trưởng kinh tế trong vòng 2 thập kỉ cuối.
School grades
The school year is divided into two semesters. The first semester begins in late August and ended sometimes before TếtTet
Tet can mean:*Tết or Tết Nguyên Đán, the Vietnamese new year**Tet Offensive, a military campaign that began in 1968*Têt in Roussillon, France*Equal temperament, abbreviated as 12-TET, 19-TET and so on...
while the second one begins right after the first one and last until June.
| Level/Grade | Typical age |
|---|---|
| Preschool | |
| Pre-school playgroup Pre-school playgroup A pre-school playgroup, or in everyday usage just a playgroup, is an organised group providing care and socialisation for children under five. The term is widely used in the United Kingdom. Playgroups are less formal than the pre-school education of nursery schools... |
3-4 |
| Kindergarten Kindergarten A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school... |
4-6 |
| Primary school | |
| First grade First grade First grade is a year of primary education in schools in the United States and English-speaking provinces of Canada. It is the first school year after kindergarten... |
6-7 |
| Second grade Second grade In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs.... |
7-8 |
| Third grade Third grade In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs.... |
8-9 |
| Fourth grade Fourth grade Fourth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fourth grade is the fourth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 9 or 10 years old, depending on their birthday. It is a part of elementary school. In some parts of the United States, fourth grade... |
9-10 |
| Fifth grade Fifth grade Fifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens... |
10-11 |
| Junior high school | |
| Sixth grade Sixth grade Sixth grade is a year of education in the United States and some other nations. The sixth grade is the sixth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 11 – 12 years old... |
11–12 |
| Seventh grade Seventh grade Seventh grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The seventh grade is the seventh school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 12–13 years old. Traditionally, seventh grade was the next-to-last year of elementary school... |
12-13 |
| Eighth grade Eighth grade Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades... |
13–14 |
| Ninth grade Ninth grade Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school.... |
14-15 |
| High school High school High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions.... |
|
| Tenth grade Tenth grade In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:... |
15–16 |
| Eleventh grade Eleventh grade Eleventh Grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are typically 16 or 17 years of age, depending on the country and the students' birthdays.-Brazil:... |
17–17 |
| Twelfth grade Twelfth grade Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all... |
17–18 |
| Post-secondary education | |
| Tertiary education Tertiary education Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school... (College College A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations... or University University A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education... ) |
Ages vary (usually four years, referred to as Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior years) |
Pre-primary education
Public kindergartens usually admit children ranging from 18 months to 5 years of age. Sometimes, four- or five-year-old children are taught the alphabetAlphabet
An alphabet is a standard set of letters—basic written symbols or graphemes—each of which represents a phoneme in a spoken language, either as it exists now or as it was in the past. There are other systems, such as logographies, in which each character represents a word, morpheme, or semantic...
and basic arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
. This level of education tends to be popular in major cities such as Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
, Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, Hai Phong, Can Tho and Vung Tau
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
.
Primary education
Children normally start primary education at the age of six. Education at this level lasts for 5 years and is compulsory for all children. The country's literacy rate is over 90%.Intermediate education
Junior high school includes sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth grade. Until its abolition in 2006, students had to pass the Intermediate Graduation Examination (IGE) presented by the local Department of Education and Training to graduate. This educational level is homogeneous throughout most of the country, except in very remote provinces, nhưng vùng được trông đoiwj sẽ được phổ cập và tiêu chuẩn hoá giáo dục trung cấp trong vài năm tới. Intermediate education is not compulsory in Vietnam.Secondary education
Secondary education consists of grades ten through to twelve. The IGE is a prerequisite entrance examinationEntrance examination
An entrance examination is an examination that many educational institutions use to select students for admission. These exams may be administered at any level of education, from primary to higher education, although they are more common at higher levels....
for secondary schooling. The IGE score determines the schools at which students are able to enroll. The higher the score, the more prestigious the school.
All subjects are compulsory for students.
- Literature/Reading
- Mathematics (consisting of separate subjects AlgebraAlgebraAlgebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
(year 10 only), CalculusCalculusCalculus is a branch of mathematics focused on limits, functions, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series. This subject constitutes a major part of modern mathematics education. It has two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, which are related by the fundamental theorem...
(year 11 and 12 only) and GeometryGeometryGeometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
(both year 10, 11 and 12)) - Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- History
- Geography
- Civics (generally consists of economics, philosophy, politics, law and ethics)
- Foreign language (mostly English; Chinese, French and Russian are taught at some specialized schools)
- Technology (consists of Agriculture/Horticulture, Mechanics, Electronics, Design, etc.)
- Information Technology (Recently introduced, yet to be implemented in poorer regions. Students study basic programming in languages such as Visual FoxProVisual FoxProVisual FoxPro is a data-centric object-oriented and procedural programming language produced by Microsoft. It is derived from FoxPro which was developed by Fox Software beginning in 1984. Fox Technologies merged with Microsoft in 1992, after which the software acquired further features and the...
, Visual BasicVisual BasicVisual Basic is the third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment from Microsoft for its COM programming model...
and PascalPascal (programming language)Pascal is an influential imperative and procedural programming language, designed in 1968/9 and published in 1970 by Niklaus Wirth as a small and efficient language intended to encourage good programming practices using structured programming and data structuring.A derivative known as Object Pascal...
) - Physical Education
Advanced classes consists of either:
- Natural sciences: Students follow an advanced curriculum (and different textbooks) in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology.
- Social sciences: Students follow an advanced curriculum (and different textbooks) in literature, history, geography and foreign language.
At the start of secondary school students can enroll in Specialist Classes if they pass the class entrance exam, which usually consists of a Mathematics exam, a Literature exam and an exam of the subject that the student wants to specialize in. The specialist subject can be any of the subjects listed above, except Technology, Physical Education and Civics. Students enrolled in these programs have a heavier workload than regular secondary school students. The workload varies from school to school, but grade 11 students are generally expected to study grade 12 courses concurrently. Other courses include university-level courses. Some schools go as far as requiring their students to finish secondary school by the end of grade 10.
Only prestigious schools offer these classes, and they have yet to be standardized.
Leaving Examination
All students in Vietnam are required to take the national Leaving Examination at the end of grade 12 to get a diploma. The Leaving Examination is administered by the Ministry of Education and TrainingMinistry of Education and Training, Vietnam
The Ministry of Education and Training is the government ministry responsible for the governance of general/academic education and higher education in Vietnam. Vocational Education is controlled by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs . Ministry offices are located in central...
. Students still have to pass their regular end-of-term examinations along with passing the Leaving Examination.
The Leaving Examination includes six subjects: mathematics, Vietnamese literature
Vietnamese literature
Vietnamese literature is literature, both oral and written, created largely by Vietnamese-speaking people, although Francophone Vietnamese and English-speaking Vietnamese authors in Australia and the United States are counted by many critics as part of the national tradition...
, foreign language and three other subjects determined by the Ministry of Education and Training
Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam
The Ministry of Education and Training is the government ministry responsible for the governance of general/academic education and higher education in Vietnam. Vocational Education is controlled by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs . Ministry offices are located in central...
. Students usually sit for The Leaving Examination in late May or early June.
Higher education
University entrance is based on the scores achieved in the entrance examinationEntrance examination
An entrance examination is an examination that many educational institutions use to select students for admission. These exams may be administered at any level of education, from primary to higher education, although they are more common at higher levels....
. High school graduates need high scores to be admitted to universities. Securing a place in a public university is considered a major step towards a successful career, especially for those from rural areas or disadvantaged families. The pressure on the candidates therefore remains very high despite the measures taken to reduce the importance of these exams. In 2004, it was estimated that nearly one million students took the exam, but on average only 20% passed.
Normally, candidates take three exams; each lasts 180 minutes for the fixed group of subjects they choose. There are 4 fixed groups of subjects:
- Group A: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry
- Group B: Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry
- Group C: Literature, History, Geography
- Group D: Literature, Foreign Language, Mathematics
Besides, there are also groups H, M, N, R, T and V.
Candidates have a total of four attempts at the examination.
Most of Vietnam's universities also offer master's (2 years) and Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(4 years) degrees.
In addition to universities, there are community colleges, art and technology institutes, professional secondary schools, and vocational schools which offer degrees or certificates after courses lasting from a-few-months to 2-years.
Private universities
According to Vietnam's Ministry of Education and TrainingMinistry of Education and Training, Vietnam
The Ministry of Education and Training is the government ministry responsible for the governance of general/academic education and higher education in Vietnam. Vocational Education is controlled by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs . Ministry offices are located in central...
, there are currently 23 private universities, accounting for 11% of the total. These private universities are currently training 119,464 students, 11.7% of the total student body. The government is planning to increase the private universities' share of the sector to 30% by 2011.
The presence of foreign universities is increasing. Universities such as RMIT
RMIT International University, Vietnam
The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology is an Australian-based university operating in Vietnam, with its main campus located in Ho Chi Minh City and a second campus in Hanoi...
and University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
offer degrees in fields such as business, English as a Second Language and Information Technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
. Running a foreign education system in Vietnam is challenging. Quality control and affordability are key issues, as well as red tape
Red tape
Red tape is excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making...
.
Teaching quality issues
The entire higher education system is facing several crises such as outdated curriculaCurriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
, a lecturer-centered method of teaching and learning, a lack of linkage between teaching and research activities, and a large discord between theory
Theory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
and practical training that leads to a large number of graduates being unable to find a job while skills shortages drive inflation to double-digit levels.
Aside from degrees offered by foreign universities, qualifications from Vietnamese universities are not recognized worldwide.
Teaching methods delivered in the public system are teacher-oriented. Class discussions are uncommon, and students are expected to be studious and passively attentive in the classroom. This method is a reflection of colonial influence and is a sharp contrast to American and British pedagogy, where interaction and debate are more prominent.
Advanced and specialized high school students are generally expected to study additional courses, which can amount to a total of nine periods a day. Parents also enroll their children into cram schools. Regular teachers usually teach these cram sessions themselves as a means of supplementing their income. Students who do not attend these sessions are usually at a disadvantage, as materials appearing on tests and exams are often covered only in cram schools.
Public schools are under-funded. Currently, only primary schools are subsidized by the government to 50% of the total tuition cost. The drop-out rate after fifth grade is high and most students cannot afford to attend higher senior high school and university due to poverty. The average monthly salary of local Vietnamese public teachers is between 60USD and 100USD, so many supplement their income by working in the private sector or as tutors.
Private language centers offering English as a Second Language are in high demand in the larger cities of Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
and Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
. Students flock to these schools to increase their employment opportunities. These classes are usually taught by foreign expatriates who are generally paid between 10USD-20USD per hour, depending on both their qualifications and the quality of the school. Lower standards in some of the lower-paying schools have resulted in low-quality teachers (known to the local community as "backpacker teachers") proliferating.
See also
- Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai High SchoolNguyễn Thị Minh Khai High SchoolNguyễn Thị Minh Khai High school is a public high school in Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam...
- the first all-girl high school, founded in 1915. - Vietnamese studiesVietnamese studiesVietnamese studies in general is the study of Vietnam and things related to Vietnam. It refers, especially, to the study of modern Vietnamese and literature, history, ethnology, and the philological approach, respectively....