TEXT 2
CLASS DISTINCTIONS
Growth of semi-private schools Risks widening social gap - By Faith Keenan in Hanoi and Ho Chi Mink City
Vietnam's Leaders are facing a dilemma as chúng seek Ways to Educate a V population Growing at about 1.5 million a year to meet the Demands of a Developing Economy. Semi-private schools to help ease the pressure on Vietnam's education system. But it's mainly better-off who can Afford to send Vietnamese children to add chúng. Encouraging schools to set up the sharpening class distinctions Risks được Communist Party elders Worrying already.
But the Government has no choice. Schools are bursting at the seams: some schools have classes of 60 Students khi Considered ideal is 30, and 45 the regulated maximum. In some Cases, a third shift added to the usual Đã morning and afternoon sessions.
Besides the shortage of schools, there's a shortfall of teachers. Newspapers báo State là có 115,000 more teachers needed this year at primary and secondary school levels. About one-third of teachers do not have the existing teaching Qualifications required.
The Government has renewed its calls for private education under the banner binding for "socialization in." "That vì parents have to pay for children's education chúng," explains a specialist in pedagogy at the National Institute of Educational Science. And "People-Funded" schools get off the ground.
Do not add private call, though. Reflecting the Government's reluctance to move Towards Privatization of the economy, such 'schools are legal entities of the state and ask for their boards made up largely of the public are Officials, says the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education and Training's secondary-school department. Moreover, all schools still follow state curriculum for use phải state-sanctioned books, while Students receive a state certificate.
People-Funded schools soak up a tiny Proportions of the student population, but ask for their numbers are rapidly tăng, theo a World Bank study Issued late last year. They account for 24% of Students Enrolled in secondary schools, while at the primary level, số such 'schools has doubled this year to 44 Nearly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, theo Ministry of Education. But that's out of 12,000 primary schools nationwide more coal. And although the schools are set up with the idea of paying ask for their own way, some are operating at half capacity at and Losing just money.
Apart from the semi-private Initiatives, like the Youth League Organizations in Ho Chi Minh City are doing what can chúng to ease overcrowding in schools. They've Launched a lottery, Hoping to raise 70 Billion dong to build 1,000 classrooms by 2005.
Despite efforts into such ', Educating Vietnam's youth will be an uphill struggle waged for years to come. Although the country reports a 91% literacy rate, says a United Nations study in Vietnam has often Do mà literacy measured only by a person được's ability to read a simple passage or sign của the her name. (The international standard is a third-grade education-about an 8-year của-old.)
Indeed, school enrollment starts to decline steadily after the fifth grade- around age 10. By grade 12 (age 18), less coal 20 % of the school-age population is Actually in school. The World Bank says mà private Costs như the assorted fees schools levy in to addition to tuition-even level for families with children at state schools-Contribute to high drop-out rates at the primary level.
Confronted with such 'figures, Investors Aiming to tap Vietnam's Labour pool low- cost vaunted unfortunately think twice. Many companies require a college education for secretarial positions even level, let alone Managerial jobs. The Saigon Times Daily quoted an official Recently at the Ministry of Planning and Investment who complained only a fraction of the mà 5,000 managers working for joint ventures English are qualified.
The Government is doing what it can to help. The Communist Party's Central Committee pledged to make education and training a priority at a December meeting. The government requirements to tăng AIMS share of the budget for the education to 20% from 15%.
The national teacher-training college has waived tuition fees this year to try to lure more to the profession người. A proposal to tăng teachers' salaries by 50% Đã approved, says an official of the Education Ministry. (They average about $ 35 a thời month at the secondary level.)
đang được dịch, vui lòng đợi..