(DT) - Fewer students are choosing to take the entrance exam for teachers’ training schools due to high rate of unemployment after graduation.Many recent graduates are now forced to take work as tutors, sales-people or other jobs far removed from their speciality.
Many students who’ve received on-the job training are given jobs at high schools, while for those with regular training it’s very difficult to find a job. Also, after graduating, students, or their families often have to pay unofficial fees to someone in a educational administration agency.
Nguyen Thi Lan, who studied History at Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) complained, “My parents are very proud of my graduating, but when I bring to all schools to seek a job, I get the same answer: ‘We’re still waiting on our quotas from the administration agency. Our family is in the countryside, so we cannot afford to pay for a job. Perhaps I will look for another job; I don’t want to just sit and wait.”
After graduating from philology faculty in 2005, Thuy Duong, a teacher in Thanh Hoa Province, had to experience different jobs to earn money for studying a master course; and luckily, she was admitted to work at Thanh Hoa Culture and Art College.
A large number of students, after leaving teachers’ colleges, can not sign “indefinite permanent contracts” (a State guarantee of full-paid employment until retirement) with schools, but work instead under short-term contracts with a modest salary. As a result, many parents dissuade their children from studying at teachers’ colleges and universities.
Lowering of entrance requirements
In the 1990’s, many students wished to become teachers, in part because of the tuition exemption policy. At that time jobs were much easier to find.
Also, entrance requirements to these institutions were quite high, usually between 22 and 25 for social subjects, and 24 and 27 for the natural sciences.
In recent years, however, the requirements have been lowered to between 13 and 17 for all subjects.
In 2010, Hong Duc University in Thanh Hoa Province required a mark of 13 for mathematics teachers and 14 for biology. Vinh University’s entrance marks also ranged between 15.5 and 17.
At the same time, teachers’ colleges and universities have become less attractive to students in spite of their tuition fee exemption policies and low entrance requirements.
Last year, a number of teachers’ universities did not hold entrance exams for some departments. For instance, Hong Duc Unverisity did not recruit students of literature, primary education or nursery education.
