Facing challenges, Germany adjusts model
Germany and other Western European countries have long been orienting students toward career development at an earlier age than the United States, according to The Hechinger Report .
Students practice at the Ursula Kuhr Schule vocational school in Germany
The stream of students into university or vocational training starts at the age of 10 and students in Germany can start vocational training directly after finishing grade 10 (age 16). They will study at vocational schools that provide theoretical training while doing internships at enterprises. Students who are preparing to enter university will continue to study in high school for another 3 years and take the university entrance exam.
However, in Germany, the centuries-old vocational training system is facing new challenges such as: many vocational schools closed after the Covid-19 pandemic; automation and artificial intelligence (AI) development change the labor market; social inequality... These factors make students and parents increasingly hesitant about vocational training.
Faced with these challenges, German policymakers have made a number of adjustments to make the traditional vocational training model “more flexible”. One of the notable changes is that students pursuing an academic path still have the opportunity to access both vocational training and university, and vice versa.
For example, the North Rhine-Westphalia state government has implemented the Kein Abschluss ohne Anschluss (KAoA) program. Accordingly, in grade 9, all students in the state must participate in short-term internships (3 weeks) at local businesses. In grade 10, students have the right to choose to do an internship for 1 year (working 1 day per week).
After completing grade 10, students can choose to study a trade while also studying general education or study for three more years of high school and then go to university. Mr. Bernhard Meyer, teacher and coordinator of KAOA, said that this program encourages students to think about their future careers in a more specific and clear way.
Companies in Germany are also involved in vocational training. The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry supports and promotes partnerships between companies and schools, and helps small businesses train trainees.
VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS "REIGN" IN THE US
In the US and UK, in the context of many university students having tuition debt after graduation , working in the wrong field or doing jobs that do not require a degree, parents and high school students are gradually changing their views and tending to switch to trade schools - studying while working and receiving a salary.
The Guardian (UK), The Wall Street Journal and USA Today (US) recently reported that more and more young people are choosing vocational schools to train as plumbers, electricians, welders, carpenters and similar jobs. This trend stems from the fact that the cost of university education is too high for many students and their families while the labor market has a high demand for skilled workers.
According to USA Today , in 1980, the cost of a four-year college education in the US was $10,231 per year, including tuition, dormitory rent, and living expenses. Today, the cost of studying at a public university is nearly $40,000 per year per student.
All countries have policies for student streaming and career development orientation.
CHINA WITH THE MODEL OF "VOCATIONAL UNIVERSITY "
Since 2017, the Chinese government has applied a 50-50 policy to divide secondary school students: 50% go to public high schools - with a view to university later; and 50% go to vocational schools.
This is part of a plan to strengthen the skilled workforce , learning from the model of Germany - a country famous for vocational training. Figures show that China will face a shortage of 30 million skilled workers in the manufacturing sector by 2025, according to the South China Morning Post .
However, for parents, the 50-50 ratio is too harsh for their children. Therefore, many parents have to spend more money to hire tutors for their children to study extra, to prepare for the 10th grade entrance exam (with the orientation of going to university), regardless of the government. ban on tutoring This puts more pressure on 9th graders.
Many Chinese parents still expect their children to go to university so that they can later have a job with a better income than if they studied at a vocational school. According to the annual report of MyCOS Research, a Chinese state-owned university education consultancy, the average income of university graduates is 5,990 yuan (nearly 21 million VND)/month and that of vocational school graduates is 4,595 yuan (more than 16 million VND)/month. In economically developed regions, after 3 years of work, university graduates have an average salary of up to 10,398 yuan/month, significantly higher than the 7,773 yuan of vocational school graduates of the same age.
However, millions of new university graduates in China are facing unemployment. Even those with master’s degrees are still not sure of finding jobs. Chinese media have also repeatedly reported the situation of university graduates working in jobs unrelated to their education.
In an effort to change the views of both parents and students, some local governments in China have merged vocational schools into universities, developing a model called "vocational universities" to encourage students to choose vocational training.
VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS EXPAND COOPERATION WITH ENTERPRISES
Thailand does not have a rigid streaming policy like China. Instead, the education system is decentralized similar to Western countries to facilitate students to choose between vocational training or university.
Specifically, Thai students go through 6 years of primary school and secondary school (6 years) is divided into 2 stages (3+3) and students are required to complete grade 9. In the remaining 3 years of high school, students have 2 options: continue to study culture with the orientation of going to university or study culture and learn a profession (granted a vocational certificate). Each option has its own exam. Statistics show that about 40% of grade 9 students choose the vocational path. After finishing secondary school, to get a vocational certificate, students study 3 more years at a vocational school, then can transfer to university.
Thailand has more than 400 public vocational schools (not including private schools). In recent years, the government has made efforts to apply many policies to encourage students to pursue vocational training to meet the demand for skilled labor. Vocational schools have expanded cooperation with domestic and foreign enterprises such as China, Japan, and Korea to develop training programs and increase job opportunities for new graduates.
However, in Thailand, vocational schools are still not attractive enough for parents and students. Many parents still expect their children to go to university to get a good job with a high salary, according to the Modern Diplomacy website.
PROPOSE SOME SOLUTIONS
Continue to develop the scale of schools: Party committees and authorities at all levels coordinate with the education sector, plan land (open schools), and increase the number of classes. Socializing the construction of schools, in addition to current policies, needs to consider and support religious organizations to participate.
Balancing teacher quality among schools: The race to get into 10th grade is intense, partly because parents want to choose competent teachers. This number is often concentrated in high-quality schools, schools located in favorable areas with developed economies. To solve this, we can increase online teaching, helping many students learn with good teachers, have good lessons, and practice many situations.
Innovation in training and school management: Strong team, fast progress of the school, parents will trust. Many schools will change, students will be divided equally among schools, the stress of the 10th grade entrance exam will be significantly reduced.
Reduce the quality gap between educational institutions by providing operating funds to low-quality schools and schools in difficult areas. Invest in subject classrooms, reading rooms, teaching equipment... If the school is spacious, teachers are provided with all conditions, and students are happy to go to school, parents will definitely send their children to study there.
Streaming after junior high school, combining study and work in high school . For many years, streaming after junior high school has been misunderstood, this work is just a formality, a coping measure. A part of students want to study culture and also want to learn a profession in high school, so the type of high school that combines study and work should be expanded.
Dr. Nguyen Hoang Chuong
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giam-cang-thang-thi-lop-10-kinh-nghiem-phan-luong-giao-duc-tu-cac-nuoc-185240621200832194.htm
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