There is a very interesting piece of information, that around mid-October, the People's Council of Nghe An province will survey the implementation of collection fees in general schools, including schools piloting advanced models.
Just talking about the pilot of advanced schools, before the new school year 2023 - 2024, Nghe An Newspaper published a number of articles. Particularly in Vinh city, on September 9, 2023, there was an article "Advanced schools have... advanced". This reflects some shortcomings in junior high and primary schools in the city that are piloting the advanced school model, and the concerns of a number of parents.
In fact, it is not only this school year that the story of “advanced schools” has received attention from society. Since the 2022-2023 school year, some parents in Vinh city have expressed their concerns when considering “whether or not to” send their children to an advanced school. They also want their children to study in an advanced school and receive a comprehensive education. But they – their family’s finances are limited – find it very difficult to send their children to school. Some families have therefore had to accept transferring their children to another school, despite feeling resentful in their hearts.
Around mid-June this year, I heard a few friends who are civil servants, public employees, and workers in state agencies express similar concerns. They confided that after 3 months of summer vacation, their children would have to transfer schools and would no longer be able to study at the school located in the area. Because that school was piloting an advanced model for the level their children would study at. And to study, just the tuition fees (not including boarding fees) would be many times higher than the fees for a public school.
A friend who is a civil servant in a department complained that after the summer vacation, both of his children had to study in an advanced class. But with the income of both husband and wife, only relying on salary and a small allowance, it would not be enough to cover expenses. He said: “I really have a headache. If I don’t let my children study in an advanced class, the school will “allow” them to transfer schools according to their wishes, because the school is applying a pilot program for all levels of education. But if we accept the transfer, the children will have to get used to a new environment, which can easily lead to inferiority complex. Moreover, studying in a different ward is very inconvenient in terms of commuting. But letting my two children study in an advanced school means losing my or my wife’s salary. If it’s only for a few months, it’s okay, but if it’s long-term, how can we afford it? It’s strange to think, why is the pilot program for the new model being done on a large scale, without giving parents any choice like this…”.
Listening to these friends confide, at the end of June 2023, when participating in a meeting to grasp public opinion organized by the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, I mentioned and expressed my concerns. Afterwards, the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee included it in Notice No. 95/TB-MTT-BTT dated July 3, 2023 on "Activities in the first 6 months of the year of the Vietnam Fatherland Front participating in government building; opinions and recommendations of voters and people in the province; proposals and recommendations to the Provincial People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee on necessary issues", to be forwarded to the 14th session of the 18th Provincial People's Council.
Since then, we have learned about the need to pilot the advanced school model. It must be recognized that the pilot project of the advanced school model has many advantages. Because the goal is to find a good educational solution so that the future generation can be comprehensively trained, have enough knowledge, and have the ability to communicate and integrate internationally. In addition to studying cultural subjects, children in the advanced pilot schools will also study many additional subjects such as English, Information Technology, Stem, life skills, and music, fine arts and sports.
But, that is the feeling when approaching the project. In reality, understanding that to achieve the results as the target, requires many things to meet the standards, not only teaching methods, not only curriculum, but also school and classroom infrastructure; quality, quantity of teaching staff... I went around a school that is piloting an advanced model in Vinh city, and saw the school's fence covered with billboards advertising many training centers for English, IT, sports... Those billboards are all attached with the school's logo. Obviously, it can be understood that to implement the advanced model, the school will combine with centers to teach students enhanced subjects such as English, IT, Stem, Life skills, sports...
Seeing that, I was less happy than sad. Because I understood that the school itself was not capable enough to independently implement a comprehensive education program. And I understood that the way to pilot an advanced model on a large scale, exactly as I had heard my friends discuss, had put parents in a difficult situation.
Thinking about it, the reason for planning the school system is simply to create convenience for students and parents, to create convenience in education. Speaking specifically about Vinh city, each ward-level unit has a kindergarten, primary school, and junior high school, all located in suitable locations to create convenience for students. Considering the economic situation of households in each ward-level unit in Vinh city, there will certainly not be equality, but there will be differences at many levels. Reality also shows that the monthly income of many families of cadres, civil servants, and state employees is still very low compared to the minimum needs. They have fallen into difficult situations, so the families of workers and freelancers will certainly also have difficulties.
For families with difficult economic circumstances, it will be even more difficult to send their children to advanced schools. If they accept to transfer their children to study at a new school, there is a risk of instilling an inferiority complex in the children's minds. This is contrary to the educational method.
Therefore, it is necessary to consider limiting the pilot of advanced schools on a large scale, to avoid imposition, leading to lack of humanity. And therefore, it is hoped that the Provincial People's Council, in the process of surveying the implementation of collection fees in general schools, will pay attention to this issue!
