Tightly manage English training facilities

(Baonghean)According to a petition sent to Nghe An Newspaper, a parent reported: Currently, some English teaching centers in Vinh City charge too high tuition fees. For example, parents are informed that for 40 sessions, the tuition fee is 250,000 VND/session, which is 10 million VND, not including other expenses...

To clarify the issue raised in the petition, we went to Eland English Center and were told by teacher Hoang Tang Duc, who teaches the class with the above tuition fee: This is a class based on an agreement between the parents and the center, because unlike the mass class with 10-15 students, this class is requested by the parents to teach 4 students, however, the tuition fee for a class session remains the same, so each student will have to pay 250,000 VND/session. Ms. D.TH, whose child is studying in this class, according to the Cambridge program at Eland English Center, also said: This tuition fee is completely based on an agreement between the parents and the center.



A Cambridge program class at Eland English.

Some parents whose children study at Eland English Center added: Cambridge is a program for native students of the same age, so we do not hesitate to invest right now. However, we only dare to let our children study in mass classes, with a class size of 10-15 students, with a tuition fee of 60,000 VND/session, the whole course costs 2,400,000 VND. Currently, in addition to the tuition fee considered "mass", depending on the needs of parents, the centers can arrange classes with quite high tuition fees. However, that is completely an agreement.

According to statistics from the Department of Education and Training, there are currently over 34 foreign language training centers and facilities in the province. Of which, Vinh City has up to 29 facilities. The licensing of these facilities is based on Circular 03/2011/TT-Ministry of Education and Training on regulations on the organization and operation of information technology and foreign languages. Accordingly, if the facility owner has a need, the Department of Planning and Investment will grant a business license, the Department of Education and Training will check that all conditions regarding facilities, teaching staff, etc. are met and they are allowed to operate. Most of the facilities are licensed to train English according to the regular education program on practical English and some other English programs for children and adults such as TOEFL, FCE, IELTS, Cambridge, etc. The organization of exams and granting of certificates are directed by the Department of Education and Training.

However, through our research, currently, the tuition fee for an English course does not have a "standard framework". A course with 10-15 students, the tuition fee fluctuates around 2 million VND, from 50-100 thousand VND/session. For many parents, this is a relatively high tuition fee. Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thuy, whose child is studying at ASEM Link foreign language center, said: "With my family's average economic conditions, I think the tuition fee of 50,000 VND/session is high. However, in order for my child to study with a native teacher, with a curriculum that is arranged quite scientifically and reasonably, the family is trying."

Along with the issue of tuition fees, the current training quality is also very concerning. In fact, the teaching curriculum at centers and units is not the same. Through annual inspections by the Department of Education and Training, there are still some units that do not follow the English program at level A, B, and most of them do not have enough lessons as prescribed. The inspection of lesson plans, programs, and teaching content of teachers in some units has not been given due attention. Professional activities are still rare, and in some places there are no minutes of professional activities. Some units rarely organize class observation and evaluation, and still leave it to teachers to teach, so they have not promptly overcome limitations in teaching. The quality of teaching hours of some teachers is still low, nearly 30% of the lessons are at level. The lessons are still simply imparting theoretical knowledge, not clearly demonstrating the training of skills in application and application in practice...

Talking to us, Mr. Le Huy Phi - Deputy Head of Continuing Education Department, Department of Education and Training said: "When granting licenses, the Department relies on the content of the Ministry's program, but in reality, during the training process, the facilities often adjust according to the needs of the learners. As for tuition fees, it is completely voluntary, with an agreement between the learners and the training facility. Each facility has different capacities from facilities to teaching quality... Therefore, tuition fees at the facilities are different, and it is also very difficult for us to manage this issue."

I think that the desire to know English and be good at English is the need of many people. However, with the current operations of foreign language centers and facilities, the management agency needs to soon issue a standard price framework for tuition fees, content, and specific study programs according to the regulations of the Department of Education and Training to strengthen inspection and examination work, to promptly detect violations to ensure the rights of learners. The issue of readers sending petitions to Nghe An Newspaper is also a matter of concern to many parents. However, the case mentioned in the petition is completely based on voluntary agreement between teachers and parents.

Quang An