Don't let vocational school be the last resort.

MODEL 9+3

Since 2011, Directive 10 of the Politburo has included content on strengthening the streamlining of students after secondary school, with the goal of striving to have at least 30% of students after graduating from secondary school to study vocational training by 2020. Since then, many colleges and intermediate schools have implemented the 9+3 model, with secondary school graduates studying both vocational training in the intermediate program and cultural programs (4 subjects) according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Currently, the government has many policies to encourage students to study vocational training after junior high school.

Although the policy has created conditions to attract students to vocational training, there are still many shortcomings and barriers from parents' psychology and from some regulations on labor use.

Dr. PHAM VU QUOC BINH (Deputy Director General of General Department of Vocational Education, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs)

Dr. Pham Huu Loc, Principal of Ly Tu Trong College (HCMC), commented that the government has introduced many favorable policies to encourage students to study vocational training, especially after junior high school. "First, students are supported with 100% of tuition fees when studying intermediate programs. Second, students can both study vocational training and study cultural programs so that when they graduate from intermediate and have a certificate of completion of these cultural subjects, they are qualified to transfer to colleges and universities. Not to mention, the labor market is in great need of workers who have graduated from vocational schools. Many businesses come to the school to place orders and recruit, paying salaries based on ability rather than qualifications, showing that vocational training has many advantages for students."

Master Tran Phuong, Principal of Viet Giao Secondary School (HCMC), also said that currently, 9th grade students have many advantages if they go to vocational school, when they can choose from many different professions that suit their interests and abilities, from engineering, technology, agriculture, services...

PARENTS ARE STILL HESITANT

According to Dr. Pham Vu Quoc Binh, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vocational Education, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, after Directive 10 of the Politburo, most recently the Decision approving the strategy for vocational education development for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045 of the Prime Minister, sets the goal of attracting 50-55% of secondary and high school graduates by 2030.

"However, currently, on average, only about 19-20% of secondary school graduates nationwide go to vocational training. This number has increased significantly compared to previous years, although the rate is still not as expected. Although the policy has created conditions to attract students to vocational training, there are still many shortcomings and barriers from parents' psychology and from some regulations on labor use," Dr. Quoc Binh assessed.

Master Nguyen Dang Ly, Principal of Ho Chi Minh City International College, said that many parents still attach importance to degrees, with the traditional mentality that after finishing grade 9, their children must continue to high school and go to university, and do not consider vocational training as an equal choice like other options. That is an important reason why the entrance exam to grade 10 public schools is increasingly competitive, causing stress for both parents and students.

Sharing the same view, Master Tran Phuong shared: "Some students, due to incorrect understanding, worry that vocational training will limit their job opportunities and future income. Meanwhile, most parents still want their children to go to university even though this may not be suitable for the students' abilities and interests."

Regarding the issue of employing workers, Dr. Pham Huu Loc said that a major barrier that makes those who want to learn a trade hesitant is that state agencies require candidates to have a university degree when recruiting. "Foreign corporations and private enterprises no longer value degrees, but they evaluate candidates based on skills and abilities; but state agencies and enterprises still require workers to have a university degree, even for unnecessary jobs," Dr. Loc shared.

One of the solutions to attract vocational students is that schools must really focus on investing in training quality and flexibly changing teaching methods.

NEED TO INTEGRATE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION INTO THE GENERAL CURRICULUM

To encourage more ninth graders to proactively choose vocational training, Master Tran Phuong said that efforts should be made to eliminate prejudice, improve career counseling, and convey complete information about career opportunities after vocational training.

"Schools should also develop financial support policies such as scholarships and loans to reduce the burden on students when choosing vocational training. In addition, businesses and companies should be encouraged to share about career opportunities and income for skilled workers," Mr. Phuong suggested.

According to Mr. Phuong, vocational education should be integrated into the general education program by adding subjects and career experience activities from primary and secondary school, helping students discover their strengths, interests and form career intentions earlier.

Master Nguyen Dang Ly also believes that it is very important to integrate careers into the primary and secondary school curriculum to help students become aware of careers from a young age. "Currently, secondary and high schools also have career guidance hours, but they are not yet effective, so this integration is absolutely necessary; because career guidance requires a long-term process and is done step by step. A few lessons and a few discussions with students will not be able to achieve the goals of career guidance and streaming," said Master Ly.

Dr. Pham Vu Quoc Binh believes that vocational education needs to promote career counseling for students from an early age, even from primary school. In the future, some occupations should be integrated into the curriculum, allowing students to get acquainted with and "play" the roles of occupational positions, from which they can know their abilities and desires to aim for. "The State has exempted vocational training fees, so there should be a policy of exempting fees when students study cultural subjects in vocational schools. In addition, the policy of using labor in state administrative agencies should also change so that vocational students can be recruited in suitable positions," Dr. Binh shared.

One of the solutions to attract vocational students, according to Master Phan Thi Le Thu, Vice Principal of Vien Dong College (HCMC), is that vocational schools must really focus on investing in training quality and flexibly changing teaching methods.

Master Le Thu stated: "To attract more students, vocational schools want to provide cultural training in the GDTX system and be granted high school graduation certificates by the Department of Education and Training like GDTX centers; because currently the Ministry of Education and Training allows vocational school students who have studied cultural training to take the high school exam to get university admission scores but are not granted a high school diploma. In addition, a common set of information data should be unified when students have the right to choose to register for vocational training right on the system of the Ministry of Education and Training".

The rate of good and excellent students proactively choosing vocational training is increasing.

Dr. Pham Huu Loc said that currently, Ly Tu Trong College has about 3,000 high school graduates enrolling in vocational training. "Among them, there are many good and excellent students who can completely pass the public 10th grade, but because they have good career orientation and love vocational training, they proactively registered right after completing 9th grade. Many of them are children of business leaders," Dr. Loc informed.

Master Phan Thi Le Thu said that Vien Dong College recruits this group very well every year. In recent years, the school has attracted many good and excellent students to study the 9+ program. In 2023 - 2024, more than 50% of good and excellent students from 4 consecutive years of junior high school registered from the beginning, showing that parents have begun to have a different view of vocational training.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giam-cang-thang-thi-lop-10-dung-de-vao-truong-nghe-la-giai-phap-cuoi-cung-185240620222752083.htm