Students opt for university instead of vocational training centers

Vietnamese students including those who are weak in their studies opt for university instead of vocational training centers.
Vocational training schools are not attractive to students (Photo: SGGP)
Vocational training schools are not attractive to students (Photo: SGGP)
Head of the training division of Phu Yen vocational training center Nguyen Hoang Phong said that his school had bumped into difficulties for the vocational training program for ninth graders who failed to make the cut into public senior high schools because 80 percent of students registered into continuous education institutions and just 20 percent of them want to enter his schools.
Worse, most of parents want their children to study in continuous education facilities or private high schools to take high school degrees and then pursue studying in a higher education institution.
Director of the training center of the Quy Nhon Technology Vocational Training School Nguyen Quoc Vy moaned that big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have more students than small provinces like the central province of Binh Dinh.
He added that most parents in Binh Dinh asked whether the school can issue both senior high school degree and vocational training certificate whereas vocational training schools only teach vocational courses connected with specific industries and areas of work to help students enter or re-enter the workforce ; therefore, the school must unite with continuous education centers to satisfy parents’ demands.
For the academic year 2019-2020 in Ho Chi Minh City, of around 97,300 ninth graders , over 82,000 of them sat for the entrance exam into a senior high school; hence, approximately 15,000 schoolers must go study in vocational training centers, private schools or educational facilities.  Principal of Ly Tu Trong Vocational College Pham Huu Loc said that schools should make parents be fully aware of the advantage and job opportunities after completing vocational training program.
He explained after 3.5 years to 4 years, students hold the certificate and they will be employed in companies with high salary in mechanics, automobile industry, electricity and automation, and information technology, tourism. While they are working, they can continue pursuing education to take university degree just in 1.5 years more.
The city Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said that 15,609 students enrolled in three-year vocational program and 13,148 students enrolled in two-year vocational program in 2017. There was a slight rise in the number of students enrolling three-year vocational program with 16,304 graduates but just 10,910 students of two-year vocational program took the certificates.
Managers of Cao Thang Technical College, known for good vocation training school, mentioned the dropout with compassion; for instance, the rate of dropout was 22.56 percent in the school year 2015-2016.
Vinatex Economic - Technical College in HCMC also sees a 300-400 dropouts.
Although Hung Vuong Technology Secondary School is a highly prestigious in vocational training with many students winning prizes in the national and international job skill competition, Head of training division of the school Nguyen Dac Hien still fretted about the recent dropout number of 20 percent-25 percent.
Thu Duc College of Technology sees 20 percent – 30 percent of students of two-year vocational training program. School principal Nguyen Thi Ly said most of students are at the age of 15-16 who are still dependent on parents’ career orientation; therefore, they quit the school easily if their parents’ awareness of vocational training change. Moreover, they are not employed by firms because they are too young.
To retain students, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly said that in addition to review curriculum to suit learners and meet enterprises’ demands, the school has spent on facilities and lecturers and improve teaching quality while Hung Vuong Technology Secondary School has purchased teaching equipment and machines for training as well as introduce to a career or area of interest students hope to pursue after school graduation and provide scholarships to help students complete their training program. Start-up club, technology clubs and job skill competitions have been organized to keep learners.
According to the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training’s review of vocation training in 2019, these special schools have been facing difficulties in attracting students especially in toxic industries and arts. People’s view of vocational training and enrolment into universities are culprits for special schools’ present difficulties.

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