The model of General Education Quality Assurance in Nghe An creates a breakthrough in innovation in education and training.

However, with a new, unprecedented model, implementation will also have many difficulties and challenges.

Nghe An Newspaper interviewed Mr. Dao Cong Loi - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training about the implementation of this model.

PV:Sir, at this time, Nghe An is the first province in the country to implement a quality assurance model in schools. So how should we understand this concept?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:According to current Vietnamese standards, quality assurance is all planned and systematic activities implemented within a quality system and demonstrated to be necessary to provide adequate confidence that an entity (object) will fully satisfy quality requirements. Quality assurance is also a means of creating products that are free from defects caused by errors in the production or education process, so quality is entrusted to each participant in the production or education process.

Class time of students at Nghi Huong Secondary School - Cua Lo town. Photo: MH

From this idea, people are interested in creating a quality standards system when applying the quality assurance model so that those who directly produce the product must be aware of the importance of quality, know how to achieve higher quality and want to do it themselves, and moreover, attract and motivate others to do as well as them or do better than themselves.

Based on this concept, quality assurance in education can be understood as a form of quality management carried out before and during the educational process.

The implementation of this process is to prevent errors in the educational process, avoiding the creation of low-quality "educational products". In other words, educational quality assurance is a system of measures and planned activities carried out inside and outside the school that are proven to be sufficient to create adequate confidence that the activities and products (students) will fully satisfy the requirements for educational quality according to the output standards of the educational program.

Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training Dao Cong Loi and the Department's working delegation deployed the implementation of quality assurance work in Thanh Chuong district. Photo: MH

PV:So, sir, what is the purpose of implementing quality assurance at the present time?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:As we know, to ensure educational quality, it is necessary to include internal quality assurance and external quality assurance of the school. Internal quality assurance is undertaken by the school, external quality assurance is carried out by functional agencies outside the school (including quality control agencies). Internal quality assurance of the school is the most important factor, the school proactively creates quality.

Therefore, the implementation of quality assurance will contribute to improving the quality of comprehensive education to meet the requirements of fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training, successfully implementing the 2018 General Education Program. Thereby, in order to prepare a solid and comprehensive knowledge foundation, life values, soft skills and global skills for students, capable of effectively meeting the needs of high-quality human resources; becoming the center for the process of innovation, creativity, providing knowledge for the socio-economic development of the North Central region and the province.

Students of Dooc May Primary Ethnic Minority Boarding School - Ky Son. Photo: Duc Anh

This is also the basis to enhance the position and prestige of the province in the system.educationnational and regional, contributing significantly to promoting the competitiveness and prosperity of Nghe An province. At the same time, it is the basis for developing education in a substantial, rapid and sustainable manner, ensuring scientific logic, creating a breakthrough in fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training.

The implementation of quality assurance also aims to implement Resolution No. 29/NQ-TW dated November 4, 2013 of the 8th Central Conference, 11th tenure on fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training; Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party; Resolution of the 19th Nghe An Provincial Party Congress, term 2020-2025; Resolution No. 02-NQ/DU.SGD&DT dated March 22, 2021 of the Party Executive Committee of the Department of Education and Training on quality assurance (QA) of general education in Nghe An province for the period 2021-2025 and vision to 2030.

This is also a necessary requirement in the period of international integration and the fourth industrial revolution.

We also see that the practice of ensuring educational quality in our province has not been focused on in recent years. Therefore, the common situation in schools today is that internal quality management (quality planning and periodic quality planning) has not been fully implemented before organizing self-assessment. This leads to self-assessment not contributing much to improving the quality of education of the school. Therefore, to improve the effectiveness of educational quality assessment, build schools that meet national standards, and improve the quality of education of the school, it is necessary to do a good job of internal quality assurance.

PV:Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training has no specific instructions on this work.Quality Assurancein general education institutions. Meanwhile, Nghe An is the first province in the country to apply the CIPO model to implement this issue. So, what are the new points in quality assurance work, sir?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:The core and key content in quality assurance work is the process and procedure of building output standards (targeted) with higher quality assurance factors: based on the analysis of internal factors, external factors, direction of state management agencies, parents, alumni, etc.

From there, propose plans and solutions (ensuring context factors, ensuring input factors, ensuring the quality of the teaching and learning process and education, ensuring output factors) for implementation. During the process of organizing, monitoring, checking and evaluating the implementation results, the plan can be adjusted to achieve output standards and possibly higher. Each year, each level of education will gradually improve the quality of education, then in the coming time, the quality of the whole province will improve. Some schools currently with high quality education can build output standards approaching advanced countries in the world to soon promote all the abilities, capacities and qualities of students such as TIMO Math for primary school, SAT for high school, etc.

The CIPO model in Education Quality Assurance is diagrammed and specified. Photo: MH

Another new point is that during the implementation process, the units will publicly announce the output standards and achieved results on the school, local and provincial websites, creating a highly competitive and competitive educational environment within the school, between schools, between the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Education and Training (with comparison). From there, mobilizing resources and socializing to develop education, at the same time with close monitoring by parents, society, local authorities and the support, inspection and close direction of state management agencies, the education of the province will move forward in the direction of rapid, sustainable development and international integration.

From the announcement of output standards, signing a commitment of responsibility to ensure output standards between: parents and teachers; teachers and principals; Principals and Heads of the Department of Education and Training (for schools under the Department of Education and Training); Principals and Directors of the Department of Education and Training (for high school level); Heads of the Department of Education and Training and Directors of the Department of Education and Training will clearly demonstrate the dialectical relationship of the three pillars of educational development: school, family and society.

Foreign language class of students at Muong Qua High School - Con Cuong. Photo: Thanh Cuong

We also expect that when the principal applies this content, after each parent meetingschool, the principal will collect opinions by secret ballot to survey the level of satisfaction of parents about the teaching process of teachers according to three levels: unsatisfied, satisfied, highly satisfied. This is a reference channel to evaluate teachers, promote good aspects as well as limit weak aspects, and make timely adjustments and improvements in the coming time.

PV:From this school year, schools will begin implementing quality assurance work. Has the Nghe An Education Department anticipated the difficulties and how will it implement them to achieve the set goals?

Mr. Dao Cong Loi:Of course, new things will certainly be difficult, especially when the quality of education and the physical facilities of many schools in the province are still uneven. However, following the teaching of President Ho Chi Minh: "No matter how difficult it is, we must continue to compete to teach well and study well", the whole sector is determined to make Nghe An education make a breakthrough, successfully implement the 2018 General Education Program, develop quickly, sustainably and integrate internationally.

Extracurricular activities of students at Ky Son Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities. Photo: MH

Currently, the Department of Education and Training has issued a Plan, Guidelines and training on quality assurance in general education institutions since September 2021. Through the inspection and direction of the Department, it is initially seen that general education institutions have had many positive changes in awareness and action, especially in innovating school governance of principals, striving to build a culture of quality, taking learners as the center.

We have also determined with schools that the organization of teaching and learning must ensure real learning, real exams and real products. From the output product is the quality of students to affirm the capacity of teachers, the direction and management of professional groups, school boards, and state management agencies. Thereby, it will create a vibrant and competitive educational environment in Nghe An in schools, districts and provinces.

PV:Thank you!