VNEN in Nghe An: Some praise, some criticize - Why?

(Baonghean) - The new VNEN teaching model has many outstanding advantages, but when applied to the reality of Vietnamese education, in many localities including Nghe An, many shortcomings have arisen. After the pilot phase towards mass implementation, the education sector needs to frankly acknowledge and objectively evaluate to have reasonable and effective solutions and adjustments.

Notes from schools

The new school model (VNEN) teaching method has been implemented in thousands of educational institutions in Vietnam for 5 years. Colombia is a country that has successfully applied this model, especially in mountainous areas.

The teaching method of the new school model is student-centered, promoting students' ownership in learning and training their skills in teamwork. Teachers do not lecture but organize students to study and work independently to understand the lesson content; teachers are only organizers, guides and observers to answer questions and support students to find conclusions about the lesson content.

In essence, VNEN is a new teaching model with many outstanding advantages, helping to train students to develop comprehensively and improve life skills. The advantages of VNEN have been recognized by many teachers and parents.

Nghia Binh Primary School, Tan Ky district applies the teaching method according to the VNEN model. Photo: Hoai Thu

In an art class at class 2A of Nghia Binh Primary School, Tan Ky District, the method of sitting in groups of 6 students was welcomed by the students in an enthusiastic, open and orderly manner. Following the teacher's instructions, the students skillfully carried out the steps of learning and practicing.

The group leaders take turns reminding and guiding the students to discuss and complete the lesson requirements. The teacher only plays the role of guiding, monitoring, checking and reminding or guiding students who are still slow or do not understand the lesson requirements.

Homeroom teacher Phan Thi Lien said: “Most of the students have grasped the approach to the lesson and are more enthusiastic in learning. The teaching model according to the new school model has outstanding advantages, helping students to be more active, bolder, proactive and self-aware in learning. This new teaching method also helps teachers develop management skills and cover more.”

Sharing the same opinion with Ms. Phan Thi Lien, Ms. Le Thi Hang - Literature teacher at Le Loi Secondary School, Vinh City said that the new school model learning method helps students develop skills in group activities and collective interaction. Students know how to advise and remind each other in studying, organize movement activities, and manage the class very effectively. The role of the teacher in this new method is the commander in chief, assigning tasks, observing, reminding, and adjusting students.

In fact, the students did very well, were very excited, and achieved high results. The interaction and group activities attracted the whole class to participate, helping them get closer, understand each other better, and create an exciting and enthusiastic atmosphere when coming to school.

Group study time using new teaching methods in class 2A, Long Thanh Primary School - Yen Thanh.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong - Principal of Hung Dung 1 Primary School, Vinh City commented: "Students' activities have changed, they are trained in individual learning, group learning, self-study and practical skills. Besides, they also know how to evaluate themselves, evaluate their friends and are more proactive in each lesson to find knowledge."

Mr. Tran Van Hai - Principal of Long Thanh Primary School, Yen Thanh District also said: "The new teaching method helps students develop good group skills, collective activities and confidence in communication and integration with society."

The shortcomings

With the advantages proven through the teaching and learning process of students and teachers at thousands of educational institutions in Nghe An and across the country, it can be affirmed that applying new teaching methods according to the new school model is absolutely necessary and necessary to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

However, besides the positive results, there are also many shortcomings, especially the opposition of parents in many localities across the country.

Classes at Nghia Binh - Tan Ky Secondary School are too small to accommodate group study.

In the 2015-2016 school year, some secondary schools in Dak Lak decided not to continue to replicate the VNEN teaching model. In the 2016-2017 school year, the same situation occurred in the provinces of Ha Giang, Ha Tinh, and Vung Tau.

In Nghe An, many parents have also reacted and collectively expressed their opinions to the school or written petitions to protest the application of the new school teaching model at the facilities where their children study, such as Nguyen Trai Primary School, Le Loi Secondary School, Hung Dung Secondary School, etc.

In Nam Dan this school year, before being selected by the Department of Education and Training to pilot the new school model, Kim Lien Secondary School and Nam Dan Town Secondary School sent a document requesting not to implement the new school model at the school for the following reasons:

There is no educational management agency, scientists have not organized an official summary and evaluation of the advantages and limitations of this model for mass implementation; through the pilot implementation, parents have realized that this model is not really suitable for students in rural areas. It only has a positive effect on good students, average students and below cannot absorb it.

Parents also face many difficulties in managing their children due to the way documents are compiled and organized; the transition to a new model requires purchasing documents at higher prices than normal documents, and cannot take advantage of documents left by older siblings...

So why do teachers and managers in educational units and sectors "praise" the VNEN teaching model, while parents react and even strongly oppose it?

To ensure the successful application of the VNEN teaching model and bring high efficiency, the following conditions must be met: documents, teaching staff, school facilities, teaching equipment, training and propaganda work.

Regarding documents, textbooks must ensure scientific content, standard knowledge, detailed skill instructions and other supporting documents.

With the teaching staff, it is necessary to ensure the staffing, capacity, standard training, and skills to inspire and guide students.

In terms of facilities, the classroom must have enough space to arrange tables, chairs, and appropriate teaching aids to ensure a class of 4-6 groups with 4-6 students/group. This also means that the school network must ensure that it meets the staffing requirement of at least 1.2-2 teachers/class with 20-25 students.

Another important step is training teachers and propagating the innovation policy to the people, creating a mindset for beneficiaries and related subjects.

Compared with the implementation of the new school model in Nghe An, through feedback from "insiders", most of the conditions have not been fully prepared.

Teachers and students of Huoi Nhao Primary School, Nam Can Commune, Ky Son.

Specifically, the teaching staff does not have the necessary and sufficient factors to meet the new teaching methods; the facilities are still patchy, desks and chairs are not suitable for group learning models, even teaching and learning tools and equipment are not adequate; the number of students is too large (35 - 45 students/class).

As for parents, they have not seen any progress in their children's learning with the new method. Especially for students who are shy in communication skills and slow in thinking, most of them have "gaps" in knowledge and are "weaker" than their friends.

Parents are also not satisfied with the way of testing and evaluating students through comments and believe that this method makes it difficult for them to grasp the real learning ability of their children, especially for secondary school students.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Lien, a parent of a student at Hung Dung Secondary School, Vinh City, is concerned: "My child studies VNEN but takes traditional exams." If the VNEN program does not match or the children do not adapt to the new learning method, it will affect their learning and exam results.

The above shortcomings in preparation and "carpet-laying" create the mentality among parents that their children are "test subjects" for new teaching methods, leading to reactions and opposition to the mass implementation of the VNEN program.

(To be continued)

PV Group