Study abroad consulting services in Vietnam are growing rapidly in quantity. However, the quality of services is posing many problems, requiring state management agencies to have a strict monitoring mechanism to ensure the rights of learners.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc said that study abroad consulting services have developed strongly in recent times, attracting the attention of not only parents but also the whole society when meeting the increasing demand for studying abroad of the people.
Statistics from the Department of International Cooperation (Ministry of Education and Training) show that the number of international students who were successfully advised to study abroad as of mid-September 2024 was 1,361. Of which, the markets with the highest number of Vietnamese students studying abroad include: Japan (836 people), South Korea (276 people), Taiwan (China) with 68 people, and Australia (54 people).
One of the markets with an increasing number of international students is Australia, with 32,948 Vietnamese international students in 2023 (an increase of more than 46% compared to the previous year).
According to the Korea Educational Development Institute (KEDI), in the 12 months up to April 2023, there were 43,361 Vietnamese people studying in Korea (in recent years, it fluctuated between 35,000-38,000 people).
In 2023, the Taiwan (China) education agency recorded 27,491 Vietnamese people coming to study (an increase of 3,763 people compared to 2022).
Due to the increasing demand, study abroad consulting services are increasingly developing and becoming important in connecting international schools and training programs with Vietnamese students.
Not only providing information on majors, study abroad consulting services also support students in preparing for studying abroad, choosing schools, applying for visas, and adapting to the international learning environment.
Will build consultant database
“In fact, recently there have been a number of cases where study abroad consulting centers have provided false information, showing signs of violating the law. This affects the rights of learners, negatively impacts the image of international educational organizations as well as the reputation of the Vietnamese education system.
The rapid development of the study abroad consulting service market requires new, practical management solutions to contribute to improving the quality of this service," said Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Phuc.
According to the Department of International Cooperation, the number of companies that publicly report on the Ministry of Education and Training’s study abroad consulting website is still limited. Many units only report when it is time to renew their operating licenses, leading to difficulties in state management and monitoring service quality.
In addition, there are still units operating without a license, providing non-transparent consultation, causing damage to students and parents; violations of collecting fees in violation of regulations or collecting fees without providing consultation and then fleeing; disguised study abroad programs, illegally sending people abroad, etc.
One of the shortcomings of current management is that localities do not have a strong enough staff to supervise businesses in the area. Many localities face difficulties when study abroad consulting companies are established elsewhere but advertise their recruitment in the area through authorized agents or through social networks.
In fact, in Ho Chi Minh City, there are about 3,000 organizations that have been granted study abroad codes by the City Department of Planning and Investment, but the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has only granted study abroad consulting business licenses to about 615 units, which is only 1/5 of the actual number.
Faced with this situation, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City Le Thuy My Chau said that the education and training sector will proactively advise the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on policies and strategies to further improve the effectiveness of state management of study abroad consulting services.
“The study abroad consulting market in Ho Chi Minh City in particular, and the whole country in general, still has a lot of potential for development. For effective state management, the efforts of the Department of Education and Training alone are not enough, but require coordination with related departments, branches, local authorities at all levels and the business awareness of the consulting units themselves,” Ms. Le Thuy My Chau expressed.
On the side of the Ministry of Education and Training, the leader of the Department of International Cooperation said that they are researching and considering managing consultants according to the granted study abroad consulting certificates.
Specifically, the Ministry will build a database with full information of consultants and update the quality of their activities at study abroad companies, as well as any violations. This will help limit unethical behavior originating from consultants themselves.
To date, the number of organizations providing study abroad consulting services nationwide is 3,423 and as of September 15, 2024, only 203 organizations have been granted certificates of registration for study abroad consulting services. Of which, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are the two localities with the largest number of study abroad consulting organizations, with 1,304 organizations in Hanoi and 513 organizations in Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, localities such as Nghe An, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hai Duong and Ha Tinh are also places with vibrant study abroad consulting activities.
Source: Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education and Training
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/can-siet-chat-quan-ly-dich-vu-tu-van-du-hoc-20241024114636127.htm
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