Vinh City: There are still English training facilities operating without permission.

The inspection team at JASA International Cooperation Joint Stock Company. Photo: Minh Chi

Accordingly, at the HAPPY KIDS English - Talent - Skills Center for Children, the Department of Education and Training of the province has granted a license to train English with a term until June 30, 2018, and up to now there has been no decision to grant an extension license. That means from July 1, 2018, this center has been operating without an English training license.

Explaining this issue, Center Director Nguyen Thi Hoang Yen said that the initial activities of the center were mainly English training, and the field of talent and skills was only a pilot, but from practical needs, the center oriented to develop in parallel with the English training field, forming a complex training center: English - talent - skills. Meanwhile, there are currently no regulations or guidelines on establishing a complex model, so there are some difficulties.

Disagreeing with the explanation of the center's head, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan - Deputy Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Provincial People's Council said that currently, Decree 46, Circular 03 clearly stipulates the conditions for establishing a foreign language center and Circular 04 stipulates the establishment of talent and skill centers.

From those regulations, it is recommended that the center complete the procedures and documents to submit to the competent authority for licensing according to each content and individual field of operation to ensure legal operation, because these are conditional fields of operation that require licensing.

Survey team at BMT Study Abroad Consulting Center. Photo: Minh Chi

The delegation also conducted a survey of a number of study abroad consulting units, including: BMT Study Abroad Consulting Center (BMT Investment and Trade Joint Stock Company), ATLANTIC International Education and Training Company Limited, and JASA International Cooperation Joint Stock Company.

Through the survey, the delegation noted that in reality, there are units that conduct consulting based on the psychology of people wanting to have jobs and high incomes in other countries with the aim of sending as many people as possible to study abroad, but do not provide accurate and true advice on the nature of studying abroad in Japan or Korea, as well as the source of funding to ensure study. This leads to cases where there is not enough capacity and qualifications to ensure completion of the study program or not enough funding to cover the cost of studying, forcing them to return home halfway.

A Japanese language class at JASA International Cooperation Joint Stock Company. Photo: Minh Chi

On the other hand, there are workers who register to study abroad but in fact go to other countries to work illegally, affecting the study abroad activities of Nghe An students; there is also a situation where consulting units charge fees exceeding regulations.

From the reality, the Deputy Head of the Provincial People's Council's Culture and Social Affairs Committee suggested that consulting units need to provide correct and accurate advice and orientation to those who want to study abroad, avoiding "drawing out incorrect paradises", thereby limiting risks and affecting the rights, learning opportunities and job search of learners; along with that, closely coordinate with domestic and foreign authorities to monitor and support learners during their studies in other countries.