There needs to be a policy to attract learners into the STEM field.

The proportion of students in Vietnam pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-related fields has increased in recent years, both in terms of enrollment and training scale. However, compared to developed countries and countries with advanced science and technology, this number in Vietnam is still modest.

Many opinions say that, in order to "anticipate" high-quality human resources to serve the scientific and technological revolution and national digital transformation, appropriate policies are needed to attract students to this field.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), in 2024, the enrollment rate of students in STEM-related university programs increased significantly. Of the more than 600,000 students enrolled, over 200,000 were in STEM fields; a 10% increase compared to the previous year. On average over the past four years, STEM-related fields have seen an average annual enrollment growth of approximately 10%, higher than the national average of about 5.6%. Currently, the number of students studying STEM fields is approximately 55 students per 10,000 people, representing about 30% of the total education population.

Vietnam aims to train 1 million students in STEM fields. (Illustrative image)

Although the percentage of students in Vietnam pursuing STEM studies has increased in recent years, both in terms of enrollment and training scale, overall, compared to developed countries and countries with advanced science and technology, this figure for Vietnam is still modest. Specifically, for Singapore, this rate is approximately 46% of students studying STEM fields, South Korea about 35%, Finland about 36%, and Germany about 40%.

Meanwhile, STEM fields play a crucial and decisive role in the development of society and the nation in the era of Industry 4.0, contributing to the creation of high-quality human resources in engineering and technology to meet the requirements of national development as stated in Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. Through STEM fields of study, learners have the opportunity to apply interdisciplinary knowledge and integrated skills to practice to solve problems in real-world situations and modern technology.

Associate Professor Dr. Le Dinh Hai, Deputy Head of the Faculty of Economics and Development, University of Economics, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, believes that STEM fields provide a highly capable workforce capable of solving complex problems in science, technology, environment, and society. As the scale of training in these fields expands, society will have a sufficient workforce of skilled, creative, and innovative individuals, contributing to the country's development. STEM fields not only teach knowledge but also encourage critical thinking and creativity; playing a key role in industrial development and economic modernization. Advanced technology and engineering are the foundation for producing high-quality products, thereby creating significant added value for the economy and enhancing national competitiveness internationally.

Dr. Le Truong Tung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FPT University, also acknowledged that national development requires many different groups of human resources, each with its own role. However, at a time when we aspire to rapid and sustainable development, attracting FDI and domestic businesses in science, technology, and engineering, especially high-tech fields, the demand for high-quality human resources in what we often call STEM fields is greater in quantity and, more importantly, of even higher quality. Therefore, solutions are urgently needed to create a shift and influence each student to choose this field.

According to Dr. Le Truong Tung, the reality shows that training high-quality human resources in STEM fields not only requires knowledge but also demands research skills and creative practical abilities. In the current context, mechanisms and policies regarding credit, scholarships, and tuition fees are urgently needed to attract talented students to study key engineering and technology fields. Without sufficient funding for higher education and for students, the demand for high-quality human resources will be very difficult to meet.

"Student loans are about leveraging future resources to invest in the present, and students will repay them with their own money later. This is an important issue, but currently, student loans are small in scale, the amounts are small, and they haven't received the attention they deserve compared to other countries," Mr. Tung said.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son stated: In the plan for the development of the network of higher education institutions until 2030, with a vision to 2050, recently signed and promulgated by the Prime Minister, Vietnam aims to have a total of 1 million university students studying STEM fields by 2030. The State will focus on investing in upgrading and developing five leading public higher education institutions with top-tier capacity and prestige in training and research in key and cutting-edge engineering and technology sectors.

In addition, the Prime Minister also assigned the Ministry of Education and Training to prepare a plan for training high-quality human resources to develop high-tech fields. This plan will include many policies to encourage young people to study these fields, including scholarship support policies, incentive schemes, and policies to attract foreign experts to work in these areas.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/giao-duc/can-co-chinh-sach-thu-hut-nguoi-hoc-vao-linh-vuc-stem-i763052/