Socialist Republic of Vietnam

A mock youth parliament involving students from universities and high schools in Hanoi on Sunday at Ba Dinh House gathered insightful opinions on the heated issue of job creation.

In the presence of Deputy National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van Yeu and other representatives of NA’s committees, the students discussed and ratified a supposed resolution on employment for graduates.

“Deputy” Do Tung Lam questioned the links between market needs and the training of universities and colleges, citing good relations are needed between entrepreneurs and universities overseas.

“We are wasting our work force as many graduates do not work in accordance with their trained disciplines,” said another deputy.

He said statistics of the Labor, Invalids and Society Ministry (MOLISA) showed some 80 percent of graduates work in sectors separate from their education.

“Deputy” Nguyen Dang Duong said the resolution overlooks the problem that most talented graduates were recruited by expatriate firms, and the government had failed to find ways to attract students studying overseas to return to work in Vietnam.

“Minister” of Labor, Invalids and Society, Nguyen Thi Hong Yen, said that the Ministry of Education failed to have a clear job orientation for students and promised that MOLISA would trend toward better vocational training centres.

It was the first time that an exercise of this nature was held in Vietnam, aiming at familiarizing young people with parliamentary activities and underlining their roles as citizens and future leaders.

The event was sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

The students have had two weeks to conduct four rehearsals, which made the real session smoother and more realistic.

Some students felt the 3 hour session was not enough to fully express all concerns on issues related to the future for youth.

Source: Thanh Nien, Tuoi Tre