Why not apply online?

Queuing up from night to buy first grade application form to enter the Practical Primary School of Saigon University

Many people have raised the question that Ho Chi Minh City is strongly transforming digitally, and the city's education and training sector's primary school enrollment is carried out online very effectively. So why doesn't the Saigon University's Practice Primary School enroll students online but maintains the method of issuing paper records, leading to the scene of people lining up from night to wait to buy first grade records for their children?

Is queuing to 'screen' parents?

Ms. NP, a parent whose child is entering first grade this year, also works as a manager at an educational technology company in Ho Chi Minh City, said that her child registered online through the online admission portal of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training and has been notified of admission to an advanced international primary school. When the admission results are available, the system notifies parents by text message via the registered phone number. Parents click to confirm admission on the system. At the same time, based on the correct time and date on the text message, parents bring the necessary documents to submit paper applications at the school. "Online admission shows advantages such as being modern, fast, and convenient. It shortens the waiting time. Parents can register, wait for results, receive results remotely, and only need to submit an application to go to school. Therefore, from the perspective of a parent, I support the online admission option," Ms. NP said.

However, Ms. NP also said that she understands the difficulties in enrolling first graders at a new elementary school (the school was established in 2019 - PV), the school only enrolls 150 first graders in the new school year 2024-2025, the number of applications for first grade is limited, but the demand from parents for their children to enter here is too great.

Anxiously waiting for relatives to come inside, buy first grade application form to enter school

"The school does not enroll students by route, does not base on the actual residence of the students, does not have specific criteria such as Vietnamese and English proficiency, in addition, the school prioritizes some specific cases - stated in the enrollment announcement. Therefore, I think that the Saigon University's Practice Primary School has enough facilities and a team of experienced technology staff to implement online enrollment. However, I think that if online registration is allowed, the number of applicants is too large, screening successful students will be more "difficult" for the school, so the school still issues paper applications and submits paper applications as it is now to limit the number of people who really need them?", this parent expressed his opinion.

Should take entrance exam or interview?

Mr. TK, a parent whose child is studying at the school, who also "spent a lot of time queuing and running around to take care of paperwork so that his child could be admitted" to the Practicing Primary School of Saigon University, said: "Standing in line to buy application forms like this, at first glance, seems inappropriate, but it also selects parents who have good will and determination to send their children to the school. If you want to get sweet results, you have to put in the effort."

"Last year, my experience with the online admissions site was not smooth because parents could not proactively control the information. My child's information was not on the system and there was no one to guide me through the process. So I do not really support online admissions," Mr. TK added.

A parent has completed the application for admission to grade 1 for their child to the Practice Primary School of Saigon University on the morning of June 19.

However, TK's parents also think that the admission method for first grade at schools with high demand such as Thuc Hanh Primary School under Saigon University should be changed, instead of lining up to buy first grade application forms and submitting paper applications. "As I have observed, parents who want their children to go to school all invest early in their children. So if the school changes the admission method, I suggest that it should be an entrance exam or interview like the major schools in Hanoi. The child's exam results are the most solid basis, avoiding creating many conflicting opinions," said TK.

Hope to have a better form of admission

Mr. Le Ngoc Diep, former Head of the Primary Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that Thuc Hanh Primary School under Saigon University is a newly established school. The school's announcement on first grade enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year also provided specific information on enrollment targets, enrollment subjects, and priority cases. Thuc Hanh Primary School does not enroll students at the primary level according to the usual district, county, and Thu Duc City levels as in Ho Chi Minh City.

"In general, primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City are now spacious, with improved facilities and innovative teaching methods. There is no big difference between schools in central districts and other areas. However, the reality is that parents still want to study in schools that are conveniently located, suitable for their work, well-rated, and have standard teaching methods. This is completely understandable," added Mr. Le Ngoc Diep.

The school gate is clear this morning, June 19.

Talking about the admission method of the Saigon University's Practice Primary School (as it is now, parents line up to buy the school's admission application, then go to the school to submit the paper application, and then the school announces the results), Mr. Le Ngoc Diep shared: "Because this is a young school, right now the school's admission method may not be complete, but I believe that gradually the school will have a more complete, fast, streamlined admission method and form, meeting the expectations of parents. The fact that many parents want to send their children to study here is good news for the school, and this may also be the motivation for the school to have a better admission method."

Take your time submitting your application

This morning, June 19, parents began the time to submit their children's first grade application to the Practice Primary School of Saigon University. Observations showed that parents came one after another to submit their applications, without having to wait long, without having to queue in front of the school gate. A parent who had just submitted her child's application at 8:30 said that on June 17, when it was her turn to buy the first grade application, the school notified her of a specific time to submit the application to avoid parents arriving too early, having to wait, and having to queue up.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xep-hang-tu-dem-mua-ho-so-lop-1-sao-khong-tuyen-sinh-truc-tuyen-185240619112619162.htm