Maximizing the effectiveness of the scholarship policy

(Baonghean) - From 2008 to the present, Nghe An province has sent 439 students, mainly from ethnic minority groups, to study at universities and colleges under the government scholarship program. This provides an opportunity for children of ethnic minorities to study, acquire knowledge, and potentially work in their local area. However, a current reality is that nearly half of these students have yet to find employment after graduation.

Computer science practice at Nghe An Ethnic Boarding High School. Photo: Dinh Nhat

Vy Thi May, from Mac village, Thach Giam commune, Tuong Duong district, graduated from Vinh Medical University in 2011, but after three years, she still hasn't been hired. Her family is struggling financially, forcing her to stay home and work in the fields and gather firewood for a living. Although her father is a disabled veteran (category 2/4), a priority group, her family has submitted five applications to local authorities requesting employment, but to date, they have received no response. Similarly, Vu Y Vu, a Mong ethnic minority from Luu Thong village, Luu Kien commune, who was selected to study medicine, couldn't find a job after graduation. Having wasted several years of study, Y Vu married and moved to Que Phong district. From 2008 to the present, Tuong Duong district has had 71 students from vocational schools who were selected through the government's scholarship program, but the employment rate remains very low. In 2014 alone, Tuong Duong district had 15 students graduating from the government-sponsored scholarship program, but only 3 were hired – a very small number.

This is also a common situation in localities throughout the province. Over the past six years, out of 439 students who graduated from the government-sponsored scholarship program, 193 still haven't found employment as initially promised, including 117 university graduates. The reasons given by localities are the lack of available positions, unsuitable job roles, or the low academic quality of the scholarship students. According to the Nghe An Department of Education and Training, in implementing Government Decree 134, the province's scholarship selection process is very specific, with clear quotas and selection criteria. Accordingly, districts are responsible for developing plans, proposing quotas, and forecasting job demand for each training program.

However, local residents are concerned that even though the districts had already issued documents outlining the job positions for graduates before the selection process, why are these students still unemployed after graduation? This is a significant issue, and the public often doesn't understand the management practices of the authorities. Many students under this system have limited qualifications, leading to extended study periods. Meanwhile, the reality at the grassroots level demands sufficient personnel to serve the people. Therefore, many positions cannot wait for these selected students to return. While acknowledging this as a "waste" of resources, if these students possess the necessary qualifications and skills, they can find employment anywhere. This reflects the open policy of the State's selection system. Every citizen needs to understand that each year, the Government and the province spend over 22 million VND on one student in the government-sponsored scholarship program, including scholarships, tuition fees, and money for books and supplies. This is a great opportunity for the children of ethnic minorities to pursue education, improve their skills, establish themselves, build careers, and contribute to their homeland and country. Therefore, the question is: how have these government-sponsored students and their families benefited from this policy and utilized the State's investment?

Regarding this issue, relevant agencies and local authorities with students enrolled in the scholarship program are struggling to find solutions. However, in the current climate, scholarship students should not be complacent or dependent. It's important to understand that in most other regions, families have to bear the costs of their children's education themselves. On this matter, Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha, Head of the Professional and University Affairs Department of the Department of Education and Training, stated: "For scholarship students, when a locality sends them to study, there must be a plan for job placement. However, districts have not yet balanced this, leading to difficulties in finding employment after graduation..." However, the Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas Committee – one of the members of the provincial scholarship recruitment council – believes that the recruitment of scholarship students must clearly define the responsibilities of each department, agency, and locality. The primary responsibility still rests with the Department of Internal Affairs. Furthermore, Government Decree 134 clearly stipulates that if the local authorities do not provide employment within six months, the student has the right to seek work elsewhere without having to repay any tuition fees to the State. This is a humane and open approach to the scholarship policy.

Mr. Vy My Son, Head of the Policy Department of the Provincial Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, stated that: While reviewing quotas for students selected through the government scholarship program in each district, the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Home Affairs must closely coordinate to determine the needs for planning civil servants and public employees, and the employment structure of each district. This aims to effectively promote the advantageous policy of the government scholarship program. At the same time, the Provincial Council for Government Scholarships needs to carefully review the number of students proposed by each district annually. This will limit the waste of investment resources and avoid adding further pressure to the current situation of unemployed graduates from the government scholarship program. In reality, in 2014, the Provincial Council reviewed the applications in this manner; the result was that 91 students applied, but the Council only approved 40, and only 24 met the criteria to study under the government scholarship program.

Upon investigation, it was found that the situation of unemployed graduates from the government-sponsored scholarship program is partly due to the fact that the annual quotas for scholarship programs in each district do not closely match the recruitment needs of the localities, leading to an oversupply. Furthermore, some graduates from this program do not want to work in remote areas and instead demand jobs in the district center. Mr. Dinh Xuan Lam, Deputy Director of the Department of Internal Affairs, proposed: “Districts must balance scholarship quotas with job placements first, then submit them to the province for review. In this matter, there needs to be more coordinated cooperation between the provincial and district levels to maximize the effectiveness of the scholarship program.”

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