Why have many students in Nghe An not been able to take their graduation exams after nearly 2 years of study?
Lack of funding to organize graduation exams for students is one of the reasons why many vocational college classes in Nghe An have completed their training programs but have not yet organized exams or awarded graduation certificates.
Waiting for graduation
At the end of August, Bui Anh Tu (23 years old), from Tan Ky town, Tan Ky district, was still working part-time at a restaurant in Vinh city, waiting for the day to get his vocational college diploma. Previously, Tu, like many other students, was promised by the school that they would be granted 2 diplomas in April 2023, however, up to now, they have long finished the program, but have not yet taken the graduation exam.
“My child finished school at the beginning of 2023, and I have been waiting at home for a long time. So now I am going back to Vinh City to work while I wait. We and other parents do not understand the specific reason why...”, said Tu’s father, Mr. Bui Gia Ly.
In Nghe An, in addition to Tu, 63 other students at the Vietnam - Korea Industrial Technical College and Nghe An College of Tourism and Commerce are in the same situation. Specifically, at the Vietnam - Korea Industrial Technical College, there are 2 classes: Mechanical Maintenance and Automotive Technology, while at the Nghe An College of Tourism and Commerce, there are 2 classes: Reception Management and Culinary Arts. These classes all started in 2019, each class has 16 students, of which, 2 classes at the Nghe An College of Tourism and Commerce have finished studying since October 2022, but have been waiting for more than a year and still have not been able to take the graduation exam.
These are classes in the pilot college-level training program for 22 key international occupations of the General Department of Vocational Education, under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs. However, when the students have finished studying, the General Department of Vocational Education proposed to suspend and not allow them to take the graduation exam.
According to Mr. Nguyen Truong Giang - Principal of Nghe An College of Tourism and Commerce, not being able to take the graduation exam has greatly affected the students, who have had to wait for nearly 2 years. Unable to wait any longer, the school recently had to add 2 similar classes, providing free training for the students. "We opened similar classes to the ones they have studied, for example, from Reception Management to Restaurant Management. Currently, all the students have finished their studies and returned home. However, they will not have their graduation certificates until next year. As for the 2 graduation certificates under the pilot training program in cooperation with Germany, we cannot," said Mr. Giang.
Similarly, Mr. Ho Van Dam - Vietnam - Korea Industrial Technical College said that currently, the school also opened 2 additional classes to train these 32 students. "We opened free training classes to grant them another graduation certificate. We don't know how long we will have to wait for the problem to be resolved!", Mr. Dam said.
No graduation exam fees
According to the latest report of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs sent to the Government, the incident started in 2015, when the General Department of Vocational Training (Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs) and the Avestos Training Group (Germany) signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and development of vocational training programs between the two countries. However, during the implementation process, there were many changes in the cooperation unit with Vietnam. In particular, the Avestos Group authorized the International Progress Joint Stock Company (AIC) to sign a number of cooperation agreements with the General Department of Vocational Training.
The programs transferred from Germany are programs that are being trained at vocational schools in this country. When transferred to Vietnam, only about 10% will be adjusted to suit the Vietnamese labor market. 45 vocational schools participating in the program will receive teacher training, receive programs, and invest in training facilities according to German standards. In particular, in Nghe An, there are 2 schools: the Vietnam - Korea Industrial Technical College and the Nghe An College of Tourism and Commerce.
According to the approved program, each profession is designed with 2 parts: general subjects according to Vietnamese regulations and the specialized part is a program transferred from Germany.
The course duration is from 3 to 3.5 years, depending on the profession. Upon completion of the training program, students will be evaluated for output results and those who meet the requirements will be awarded 2 degrees: 1 Vietnamese college diploma issued by the training school; 1 German diploma (equivalent to level 4 according to the German national qualification framework) and can work in Germany. According to the plan, by October 2022, about 1,000 students will have taken the exam and received 2 German and Vietnamese diplomas for professions with a 3-year training period and by May 2023 for professions with a 3.5-year training period.
However, according to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, in the process of implementing the above Project, there were some problems and there was no funding to implement the remaining contents of the Project, including organizing graduation exams for students. In addition, due to some issues related to AIC, the Central Inspection Committee worked with the Party Committee of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the General Department of Vocational Education for a long time, leading to students having completed the training program but up to now, the exam and graduation certificates of Germany and Vietnam have not been organized.
Not to mention, the current regulations allow for foreign college degrees to be transferred first, and if one wants to have a Vietnamese college degree, one must study additional general subjects according to the domestic training program. However, students are being trained in 22 pilot transfer occupations according to the occupation transfer project approved by the Prime Minister. If they want to be granted a Vietnamese college degree before being granted a German degree, they must have the Prime Minister's permission.
In October 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired a meeting and assigned the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to preside over the assessment of the compatibility of the program and training content for mutual recognition, recognition, or exemption conditions when considering organizing exams and granting degrees to students in accordance with the authority and regulations of Vietnamese law...
In order to implement the above direction, the General Department of Vocational Training chaired the establishment of a review and evaluation team for the transfer program from Germany. As a result, 45 schools enrolled students in the pilot class in accordance with the regulations for college level. Even the admission for the pilot class that the schools selected was higher than the regular college class of the school. In addition, the teachers in the class all met the standards prescribed by Vietnam. All 45 schools taught 6 compulsory general subjects at the college level according to Vietnam's regulations. Regarding the assessment of the compatibility of the content of the transfer program from Germany with the training program and corresponding output standards of Vietnam, the review team assessed that 12/66 classes were not completely compatible...
With the above results, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs believes that students of the pilot training classes following 22 programs transferred from Germany fully meet the conditions and regulations on college level admission as prescribed.
“Currently, students all want to be awarded a Vietnamese college degree to have the opportunity to participate in the labor market or continue their studies at a higher level. Therefore, allowing schools to organize graduation exams and award Vietnamese college degrees to students while not yet being able to award German degrees is urgent to ensure the rights of students… If students are not allowed to take graduation exams and do not have the conditions to participate in the labor market or study at a higher level domestically and abroad, it will cause resentment, complaints, and create negative public opinion and reactions from students, parents and public opinion…”, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs stated its views in a document sent to the Prime Minister on July 22.
On August 21, 2024, the Government Office issued a notice of the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long at a meeting on resolving difficulties related to the granting of Vietnamese college degrees to students who have completed programs transferred by Germany. The notice stated: The Prime Minister, relevant ministries and agencies always agree on the principle and viewpoint that it is necessary to promptly resolve difficulties to ensure legitimate rights for students who have completed programs transferred by Germany in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law and agreements and commitments with international partners. The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Public Security to review and research to unify and resolve contracts, agreements, and commitments with international partners, and prevent international complaints.
The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, based on its assigned functions, tasks and authority, shall proactively consider and decide on guiding the organization of assessment and granting of Vietnamese college degrees to students who have completed the program transferred by Germany in accordance with the provisions of Vietnamese law and international agreements and commitments.
