Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Aug. 18 (VNA) -- The Ministry of Education and Training has called for comprehensive education reform so as to speed up primary education universalisation in poor communities, increase the trend towards technical colleges, reduce costs of university entry examinations, and effectively fight against false diplomas and certificates.

At a recent regulation on the 2001-02 school year, the Ministry makes it clear that those villages or districts which have yet to achieve primary education universalisation standards should better organise classes for illiterates and for children five to 11 years old to finish their primary grades. The Ministry calls for proper attention and more support for communities with special difficulties, especially the poorest of the poor.

It also sets a target to help nine more provinces and cities to achieve a standard for junior high-school education universalisation.

To fast develop the network of technical schools is another major target. It aims to gear graduates of junior high schools into vocational training colleges in order to solve the current problem of oversupply of university graduates while technicians and skilled workers are in dire shortage. The Ministry urges this transition as soon as possible on a structure that offers special classes for general education students based on their talents. The move should also shape a model for vocational training-cum-general education schools so as to help pupils easily make their choices having graduated from junior and senior high schools, the regulation continues.

It also stresses efforts to transform the management mechanism at the Ministry of Education and Training so as to grant more autonomy to universities and high schools. To further reform the curricula and teaching methods at technical schools and universities as well as improve the quality of general education in all subjects and at all levels is an important task.

The Ministry is also trying to find solutions to current high costs and the heavy pressure of entry examinations while maintaining fair evaluations. It also plans to strongly reduce fraud in examinations, in the granting of diplomas and certificates. To reach this end, the Ministry says it will severely punish corruption, misuse of the education budget and abuse of education services.--VNA