Need to rectify consulting units that collect fees and have procedures that disadvantage international students

Working scene. Photo: Minh Chi

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha - Head of the Department of Vocational Education - Continuing Education, Department of Education and Training, in 3 years (2016 - 2018), the province has suspended 13 study abroad consulting units in the area.

Also according to the Head of the Department of Vocational Education - Continuing Education, currently the whole province has 58 units licensed by the Department of Education and Training to operate study abroad consulting services and the main markets are Japan, Korea, Canada, Australia, Germany, Thailand...

This is a new service that has been developed in the last 4 years, contributing to the streamlining and career orientation for high school students. In fact, in the province, the total number of people who have been consulted and recruited to study abroad is 925 people.

In addition, according to Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha, there are many units that do not have a license but still operate. On the other hand, there is a situation where consulting units provide incomplete and unclear information, especially regarding financial disclosure during the study period, which can easily cause difficulties in ensuring study costs for international students.

Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training Thai Huy Vinh admitted the delay in the licensing process for foreign language centers. Photo: Minh Chi

Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha emphasized: Studying abroad has two forms: scholarship and self-funded, but there is no study-work system in foreign countries. However, there are still consulting units that have people who want to go there to study and have the opportunity to find a high-income job, but in reality, it is not like that, creating chaos in this "market".

At the meeting, through a practical survey at a number of foreign language centers and study abroad consulting units in the city and Dien Chau district, the Provincial People's Council's Culture and Social Committee raised many issues requiring the Department of Education and Training to clarify.

Mr. Hoang Lan - Deputy Head of the Culture - Social Committee of the Provincial People's Council pointed out the slow issuance of operating licenses for foreign language centers, leading to unlicensed operations; the assessment of curriculum as well as the assessment of training quality at the centers have not received attention, so there is no motivation for units to compete with each other, and there is no evaluation to create evaluation and competition between facilities and centers.

Survey team at a consulting unit in Dien Chau. Photo: Minh Chi

Responding to the above issue, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training Thai Huy Vinh acknowledged the delay in the licensing process for foreign language centers, and proposed to the Provincial People's Committee to decentralize the licensing issue to the Department to create favorable conditions for organizations and individuals.

The Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training also affirmed that in the coming time, the industry will pay more attention to the work of evaluating textbooks, associated with checking training quality and creating conditions for centers to compete healthily.

Regarding the activities of study abroad consulting units, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan - Deputy Head of the Culture - Social Committee of the Provincial People's Council suggested that the Department of Education and Training should pay close attention to closely assessing the facilities, consulting staff to ensure regulations and especially the market of sending students to study abroad of consulting units.

Deputy Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Thi Lan requested the Department of Education and Training to strengthen inspection and supervision to rectify the collection of fees and the establishment of study abroad contracts that are disadvantageous to students. Photo: Minh Chi

The Department also needs to properly, sufficiently, and practically orient study abroad activities at high schools, thereby limiting the fact that consulting units are too practical; at the same time, requiring consulting units to publicly disclose fees and expenses for each year of language study and vocational training, major study in the host country, so that families can take the initiative in financial resources, avoiding losing the opportunity to study and find jobs for students due to families not being able to ensure financial resources for study.

The Deputy Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Provincial People's Council also requested the Department of Education and Training to strengthen inspection and supervision to rectify the collection of fees and the establishment of study abroad contracts that are disadvantageous to students...

Regarding the management of foreign language centers, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan suggested that the Department of Education and Training should advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue a document directing the district level to be responsible for state management of the activities of centers in the locality; at the same time, strictly handle centers that are not licensed but still operating.