Vietnamese students' surprising performance on a recent test does nottell the whole story, Tran Xuan Nhi, former Deputy Minister of Educationand Training, told Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
* Do you think the test results accurately reflect the capacity of our students?
When the results were announced, we were surprised. Our students wereranked 8th in science, 17th in mathematics and 19th in reading. Studentsfrom 65 countries participated in the test. Before I retired, I was oneof a few people who were assigned to follow our students as theycompete in international tests of mathematics, chemistry, physics,biology and others. I should say I was very proud of our students'performances, particularly in mathematics.
The 2012PISA test was taken by some 510,000 students (who were 15 years old)from randomly-selected schools in 65 countries. However, when we talkabout the quality of our education, we should refer to students from alllevels. Frankly speaking, the quality of our education is far belowthat of many countries.
* Should we continue to reserve special efforts to train and foster talented students, as at present?
No one can negate that our students are very intelligent, particularlyin natural subjects. Quite a few of our students have received highawards in international tests. And of course, these students havereceived special training and special treatment, just like "pedigreedfighting cocks."
In my point of view, we should giveequal treatment to both the general education and the talentedstudents. However, the talented students will serve as a driving engine,encouraging other students to follow. They are the promoters fordevelopment. For example, in our neighbouring country, Singapore, somedozens of years ago, they were at the same level as us. But now theyhave advanced much faster than we have, as they have possessed manytalented people and, what is more important, the Singapore leaders knowhow to use their talented people.
I don't think wedon't have talented people. But what's important is how to use them forour national development and how they are treated. These two questionsare very important.
Quite a few young Vietnamesestudents have excelled in their studies abroad. But what should we do toattract them to come back to the homeland to serve the nation and helpthe country to become rich? That's the most important issue. In themeantime, we have to find ways to improve the quality of our generaleducation. I'm confident that when the quality of the general educationis improved, we will have more talented people.
*Many parents of the "pedigreed fighting cocks" have expressed theiranxiety about their children's imbalanced knowledge, particularly socialknowledge since they have spent most of their time training for takingtests. What do you think about that?
Of course,these students have to train to take tests. But I think that in theirtime table, the trainers should allocate time for social subjects. As weall know, comprehensive education is very important for students.General knowledge is very important for everybody. In addition toknowledge, we have to teach them life skills. Good knowledge and goodlife skills will enable them to enter life comfortably and confidently.
* More recently, Pham Vu Luan, Minister of Educationand Training, said that in the near future social subjects such asliterature, history and geography will be combined into a "package." Doyou think that's the right way to go for our general education?
I couldn't agree more!
In Singapore, for example, right from primary school, mathematics,English and their mother tongues are the three main subjects thatstudents focus on, while the other subjects are integrated into apackage. However, such an integration does not mean they are notimportant. When the students learn geography of a country, they have toinquire into information relating to important events of that country,including famous people and cultural traditions and other things. As isthe case, when students learn about the 1954 Dien Bien Phu Victory, theyshould not only talk about history, geography or literature, butcombine them in one topic - the Dien Bien Phu. I support the idea ofcombining the three subjects - literature, history and geography intoone package.
* The 8th Plenum of the Party CentralCommittee has adopted a Resolution on the basic and comprehensive reformof our general education. In your opinion, how should we turn thatresolution into reality?
To turn the PartyResolution into reality, we need specific policies. For example, thecontent about general knowledge should state clearly that all studentshave to complete the general knowledge at the lower secondary school.When they go into the senior secondary school, the students should beprovided knowledge to sit for university entrance exams or vocationaleducation exams.
Regarding the issue of public andprivate schools, the government should come up with policies toharmonise the two educational models, not to let one model develop atthe detriment of the other. I pin my hope and will follow closely theimplementation of the Party Central Committee's Resolution on the basicand comprehensive reform of our general education.-VNA
* Do you think the test results accurately reflect the capacity of our students?
When the results were announced, we were surprised. Our students wereranked 8th in science, 17th in mathematics and 19th in reading. Studentsfrom 65 countries participated in the test. Before I retired, I was oneof a few people who were assigned to follow our students as theycompete in international tests of mathematics, chemistry, physics,biology and others. I should say I was very proud of our students'performances, particularly in mathematics.
The 2012PISA test was taken by some 510,000 students (who were 15 years old)from randomly-selected schools in 65 countries. However, when we talkabout the quality of our education, we should refer to students from alllevels. Frankly speaking, the quality of our education is far belowthat of many countries.
* Should we continue to reserve special efforts to train and foster talented students, as at present?
No one can negate that our students are very intelligent, particularlyin natural subjects. Quite a few of our students have received highawards in international tests. And of course, these students havereceived special training and special treatment, just like "pedigreedfighting cocks."
In my point of view, we should giveequal treatment to both the general education and the talentedstudents. However, the talented students will serve as a driving engine,encouraging other students to follow. They are the promoters fordevelopment. For example, in our neighbouring country, Singapore, somedozens of years ago, they were at the same level as us. But now theyhave advanced much faster than we have, as they have possessed manytalented people and, what is more important, the Singapore leaders knowhow to use their talented people.
I don't think wedon't have talented people. But what's important is how to use them forour national development and how they are treated. These two questionsare very important.
Quite a few young Vietnamesestudents have excelled in their studies abroad. But what should we do toattract them to come back to the homeland to serve the nation and helpthe country to become rich? That's the most important issue. In themeantime, we have to find ways to improve the quality of our generaleducation. I'm confident that when the quality of the general educationis improved, we will have more talented people.
*Many parents of the "pedigreed fighting cocks" have expressed theiranxiety about their children's imbalanced knowledge, particularly socialknowledge since they have spent most of their time training for takingtests. What do you think about that?
Of course,these students have to train to take tests. But I think that in theirtime table, the trainers should allocate time for social subjects. As weall know, comprehensive education is very important for students.General knowledge is very important for everybody. In addition toknowledge, we have to teach them life skills. Good knowledge and goodlife skills will enable them to enter life comfortably and confidently.
* More recently, Pham Vu Luan, Minister of Educationand Training, said that in the near future social subjects such asliterature, history and geography will be combined into a "package." Doyou think that's the right way to go for our general education?
I couldn't agree more!
In Singapore, for example, right from primary school, mathematics,English and their mother tongues are the three main subjects thatstudents focus on, while the other subjects are integrated into apackage. However, such an integration does not mean they are notimportant. When the students learn geography of a country, they have toinquire into information relating to important events of that country,including famous people and cultural traditions and other things. As isthe case, when students learn about the 1954 Dien Bien Phu Victory, theyshould not only talk about history, geography or literature, butcombine them in one topic - the Dien Bien Phu. I support the idea ofcombining the three subjects - literature, history and geography intoone package.
* The 8th Plenum of the Party CentralCommittee has adopted a Resolution on the basic and comprehensive reformof our general education. In your opinion, how should we turn thatresolution into reality?
To turn the PartyResolution into reality, we need specific policies. For example, thecontent about general knowledge should state clearly that all studentshave to complete the general knowledge at the lower secondary school.When they go into the senior secondary school, the students should beprovided knowledge to sit for university entrance exams or vocationaleducation exams.
Regarding the issue of public andprivate schools, the government should come up with policies toharmonise the two educational models, not to let one model develop atthe detriment of the other. I pin my hope and will follow closely theimplementation of the Party Central Committee's Resolution on the basicand comprehensive reform of our general education.-VNA
