Abolishing minimum university entrance scores: Will it reduce unemployment among bachelors and masters degree holders?

The Ministry of Education and Training's decision to abolish the minimum entrance score must take into account the growing number of unemployed graduates and master's degree holders.

The Ministry of Education and Training has just announced the draft regulations for university and college admissions in 2017. One of the notable new points in the draft is that the Ministry will abolish the minimum score requirement (the minimum score that candidates must achieve to be considered for admission to universities and colleges).

Professor, Doctor of Science (Prof. Dr. Sc.), Academician, People's Teacher Pham Minh Hac stated that in countries with developed education systems like the UK, there are no minimum scores, and university/college admission scores are not published on paper. Instead, students take a common exam. The exam questions are all prepared and graded by the Ministry of Education and Training, and the results of admission to a particular school are sent to students' mobile phones.

Hanoi University of Science and Technology is accepting applications for admission to the university in 2016.

In the US, based on high school exam scores, universities and colleges can arrange study programs for students according to their scores and abilities. This country has been providing career guidance to students from the middle and high school levels.

Thus, it can be seen that these countries do not have minimum entrance scores for universities and colleges, but they have already guided students towards suitable careers based on their abilities and interests from the time they are in high school.

According to Professor Pham Minh Hac, the 11th Resolution of the Party stipulated that the education sector must train high-quality human resources for society.

However, if the Ministry of Education and Training abolishes the minimum entrance score, it would mean expanding the enrollment capacity of universities and colleges to ensure their revenue, but this could lead to a compromise in the quality of education. The consequence of this would be an increase in the number of unemployed graduates unable to find jobs.

For example, in 2016, hundreds of thousands of university and master's degree holders in our country were unemployed. This was a consequence of the widespread recruitment of students into universities and colleges, but their qualifications and skills did not meet the quality standards required by society.

According to Professor Pham Minh Hac, the Ministry of Education and Training's decision to abolish the minimum entrance score must take into account the increasing number of unemployed graduates and master's degree holders.

Hanoi University of Science and Technology is accepting applications for admission in 2016.

We need to tighten the "output" standards.

From a different perspective, Professor Dinh Quang Bao, from the Institute of Pedagogical Research, Hanoi University of Education, agrees with the Ministry of Education and Training's policy of abolishing the minimum admission score for universities and colleges. This is because the goal of general education is for high school graduates to be able to continue their studies at a higher level.

University entrance exam candidates. Photo: Internet

The Law on Higher Education also clearly stipulates the autonomy of universities, so they have the right to decide on their admission methods and set the minimum admission scores for candidates, rather than being dependent on a minimum score threshold.

Top-tier universities with a large number of applicants, or teacher training colleges looking to recruit talented students, may set different requirements for selecting candidates.

Universities and colleges can use different admission methods and do not need to rely on a minimum score. Whether or not a school admits students below the minimum score is up to each individual institution.

However, it is crucial that education authorities control teaching activities and professional training standards in universities and colleges. Only then can we ensure high-quality "output" standards and a skilled workforce for society.

According to VOV