Prioritizing students with IELTS to enter grade 10 creates inequality, because not everyone has the conditions to study and take this certificate, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.
In recent days, information that some localities are adding extra points or directly admitting students with IELTS certificates or equivalent into grade 10 has attracted public attention.
VnExpress interviewed Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Director of Secondary Education Department, Ministry of Education and Training, about this matter.
- The high school admission regulations issued by the Ministry do not give any priority to candidates with IELTS and other foreign language certificates. However, some localities still directly admit and give bonus points to this group?
- In 2014, the Ministry issued regulations on high school admission, clearly stating four groups of candidates who are admitted directly, including students from ethnic boarding schools; people from very small ethnic groups; students with disabilities; and those who have won national-level or higher awards in culture, arts, sports, science and technology.
Three other groups that are given priority points are: children of martyrs, war invalids, sick soldiers, people infected with toxic chemicals, labor heroes, armed forces, living and studying in areas with difficult socio-economic conditions....
In addition to the above areas, the regulations allow the Department of Education and Training to add bonus points to some other groups of students. However, during the implementation process, the regulations on adding bonus points have revealed negative aspects, which can create unfairness among students.
Therefore, the Ministry adjusted this regulation in 2018, no longer allowing localities to add incentive points. Provinces and cities are proactive in planning enrollment, exam subjects, and forms, but direct or preferential admission must be implemented according to the Ministry's requirements.
It is not true that some provinces have added more subjects for direct admission and priority consideration. In previous years, the Ministry had not detected this. But this year, as soon as it learned of this situation, the Ministry requested the provinces to implement it properly.
Department Head Nguyen Xuan Thanh answered an interview with VnExpress on February 27. Photo: Thanh Hang
- What is the reason the Ministry does not allow direct admission and priority points for candidates with IELTS to enter grade 10?
- As I said above, in 2018, when revising the circular, we removed the regulation on incentive points because we realized it could cause unfairness. Adding points to students with IELTS certificates is an example.
In fact, in the same locality, students in the central area have easier access to studying and obtaining foreign language certificates. On the contrary, in difficult areas, even if they try hard to study foreign languages well, they still face obstacles in going to the test location or preparing millions of dong to pay the fee. Therefore, using certificates for admission is unfair.
I know that some provinces and cities regret not being able to directly recruit or give extra points to candidates with IELTS because it will affect the English learning movement. I don't think so.
Learning a foreign language is a personal need. Learning to master a foreign language, to use it as a means of learning and working, not just to get a certificate for admission. Learning only for external motivation is not sustainable. It can make students lose focus on studying right after getting the certificate. In this case, the movement to learn English will go in a bad direction.
Families who have invested in their children learning a foreign language and taking the exam to get a certificate are fine. If they have both a certificate and diligently study a foreign language, students will still have an advantage in the Foreign Language exam in grade 10, so there is no need to give them a bonus point.
- In addition to foreign language certificates, some localities have repeatedly proposed direct admission and extra points for grade 10 for excellent students at the provincial level. What is the Ministry's opinion?
- First of all, the Ministry only has regulations for national excellent student exams for high school students, there are no regulations for excellent student exams at secondary school level, and there are no specialized schools at secondary school level.
We need to see that the award for excellent students is based on each subject, while the 10th grade admission includes many subjects. A middle school student who is good at Math should be encouraged to develop this subject, but that does not mean giving up other subjects. Because of that, they may miss the opportunity to know whether they are capable in other subjects or not.
Not to mention, if we directly recruit excellent students at the provincial level, they will only focus on that subject from grades 7 and 8, ignoring natural and social sciences, not knowing how good these subjects are, leading to choosing inappropriate high school subjects.
Therefore, secondary school policies aim at comprehensive development of basic knowledge and capacity. This is also the reason why there are no specialized schools at secondary school level.
- 2025 is the first year that students studying under the 2018 general education program will transfer to another level. How does the Ministry plan to change the regulations on admission to junior high school and high school?
- We have planned to issue a new circular on secondary and high school enrollment in line with the 2018 general education program - a program that aims to develop students' abilities and qualities. This is currently in the draft stage.
In response to the local recommendations on adding priority and incentive points, we will study and evaluate them specifically, but it is very difficult to directly admit candidates without any other conditions for candidates who only have IELTS. Instead, the Ministry will consider things that record students' results in a sustainable way, helping them to study for real and develop real abilities.
I emphasize again that this must be carefully researched because incorrect encouragement will waste time and money, and cause students to lose basic knowledge and be misled in choosing a career path.
Thanh Hang - Duong Tam
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