Education offers e-government boost
Ha Noi — With a high percentage of internet users in higher education, both among faculty and students, the education sector has proven fertile ground for the growth of Viet Nam’s e-government programme.
A recent survey on the use of the internet at universities in Ha Noi showed that almost all young teachers and lecturers use the internet regularly and conduct most of their communications through e-mail.
Results of the survey also indicated that about 30 per cent of final-year students have their own e-mail addresses. Many groups of students have also created forums on the internet and conduct other activities on-line.
Since 2002, when the Ministry of Education and Training began applying the "three common" for university entrance exams nationwide (same tests, same timing and same requirements), the ministry’s edunet has always been jammed with visitors. After taking tests, students can check answers and learn their scores on the edunet.
For education officials, it’s become easier to retrieve students’ exam results and decide on passing scores for each university.
According to Dr Quach Tuan Ngoc, director of the Informatics Centre of the Ministry of Education and Training, edunet also serves as a reference for students seeking information on the universities or colleges in which they are interested.
The Ministry of Education and Training also maintains its own website to facilitate students with on-line registration for entrance examinations.
Since late 2004, the ministry has also organised several internet and video conferences on student recruitments in Ha Noi, HCM City, Hue and Can Tho. Such conferences have saved money and time for participants as well as document printing costs.
On April 8, deputy minister Dang Huynh Mai chaired an internet conference with early childhood education leaders from 64 provinces and cities nationwide. Anyone who is interested in the meeting can visit the website and even add to the discussion. The internet conference has been referred to as the first act of "electronic democratisation" in the field of education.
In the long run, the internet could also be used to solve the rampant problem of faked diplomas or certificates. An on-line database could allow users to verify information about graduates.
This is one of many programmes on the drawing board for improving administrative management of the education and training sector.
While the quality of tertiary education remains the focus of a knowledge-based economy, e-government developments in the education sector are becoming increasingly indispensible.
Viet Nam News, May 11, 2005
