A graduation ceremony at RMIT University Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Experts have objected toseveral provisions of a draft decree on foreign investment in education sayingthey need further clarification and revision.
They expressed their opinions at a recent consultative workshop on a draftdecree prepared by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).
"Thedraft is set to replace Decree 73 issued in 2012, and change procedures andinvestment conditions to boost competitiveness and help foreign investors enterthe Vietnamese education sector," said Nguyen Xuan Vang, head of MoET’sInternational Cooperation Department.
Accordingto Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, asof March 20, 2017, Vietnam had attracted 320 foreign direct investment (FDI)projects in education with a total investment of 684.3 million USD, accountingfor 1.3 percent of the total number of FDI projects and 0.2 percent of FDIcapital.
Experts said at the workshop that the provision that investors need a securedinvestment fund of at least 1 trillion VND (44.5 million USD) to establish aforeign higher education institution in Vietnam could prove problematic.
Vo ThanhBinh of the Association of Universities and Colleges Vietnam said that Decree73 required investors to prepare a minimum investment capital of 300 billionVND, so the new decree would raise this by more than three times to 1 trillionVND.
“What isthe increase based on?” Binh asked, implying that the increase could be abarrier to investment in education projects.
NguyenKim Dung, head of Legal and Governance Relations of BritishUniversity Vietnam, said the increase in capital investment was reasonable, butit would be unreasonable to require this capital to be in cash.
“Whenapplying for investment licences and establishing schools, investors can provetheir ability through auditing reports that list their equity and assets, aswell as through loan agreement contracts between bank(s) and the investors.”
"So, it is not reasonable to treat just cash as capital investment,"Dung said.
A representative from the ASEAN College in Hung Yenprovince said that the investment of 1 trillion VND could be enough to developeconomic or foreign language schools, but would be insufficient for aninstitution teaching technology.
“If the increase is made without a firm foundation, the decree will requireseveral guiding documents, causing difficulties for investors,” he said.
Vang responded that the “secured investment fundfor foreign higher education school project is the same as that of Vietnameseschools.”
He saidthat the fund would not cause difficulties for foreign investors, noting thatsome foreign universities in Vietnam, like Vietnam-Germany University or Vietnam-JapanUniversity had investments of 100 million-200 million USD.
Ho Thuy Ngoc, head of International Training Faculty of the Foreign TradeUniversity, said that under the draft decree, students have to complete“compulsory content” determined by Minister of Education and Training beforeattending foreign programmes.
“Our foreign partners will not agree to add Vietnam’s compulsory content totheir training programmes. They grant students certificates and they want themto learn authentic programmes,” she said.
“Theadditional content will also be a barrier for students and educationinstitutions when they try to access fully-imported training programmes,” Ngocsaid.
Duong ThiHoai Son of the Sakura Montessori School said she disagreed with the draftdecree provision that requires teachers at nursery schools to be collegegraduates.
She saidthis condition was not necessary because nursery teachers taking care of babiesaged 12 to 18 months did not need higher education qualifications.
“Enthusiasm and love for children are more important,” she said.-VNA
They expressed their opinions at a recent consultative workshop on a draftdecree prepared by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).
"Thedraft is set to replace Decree 73 issued in 2012, and change procedures andinvestment conditions to boost competitiveness and help foreign investors enterthe Vietnamese education sector," said Nguyen Xuan Vang, head of MoET’sInternational Cooperation Department.
Accordingto Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, asof March 20, 2017, Vietnam had attracted 320 foreign direct investment (FDI)projects in education with a total investment of 684.3 million USD, accountingfor 1.3 percent of the total number of FDI projects and 0.2 percent of FDIcapital.
Experts said at the workshop that the provision that investors need a securedinvestment fund of at least 1 trillion VND (44.5 million USD) to establish aforeign higher education institution in Vietnam could prove problematic.
Vo ThanhBinh of the Association of Universities and Colleges Vietnam said that Decree73 required investors to prepare a minimum investment capital of 300 billionVND, so the new decree would raise this by more than three times to 1 trillionVND.
“What isthe increase based on?” Binh asked, implying that the increase could be abarrier to investment in education projects.
NguyenKim Dung, head of Legal and Governance Relations of BritishUniversity Vietnam, said the increase in capital investment was reasonable, butit would be unreasonable to require this capital to be in cash.
“Whenapplying for investment licences and establishing schools, investors can provetheir ability through auditing reports that list their equity and assets, aswell as through loan agreement contracts between bank(s) and the investors.”
"So, it is not reasonable to treat just cash as capital investment,"Dung said.
A representative from the ASEAN College in Hung Yenprovince said that the investment of 1 trillion VND could be enough to developeconomic or foreign language schools, but would be insufficient for aninstitution teaching technology.
“If the increase is made without a firm foundation, the decree will requireseveral guiding documents, causing difficulties for investors,” he said.
Vang responded that the “secured investment fundfor foreign higher education school project is the same as that of Vietnameseschools.”
He saidthat the fund would not cause difficulties for foreign investors, noting thatsome foreign universities in Vietnam, like Vietnam-Germany University or Vietnam-JapanUniversity had investments of 100 million-200 million USD.
Ho Thuy Ngoc, head of International Training Faculty of the Foreign TradeUniversity, said that under the draft decree, students have to complete“compulsory content” determined by Minister of Education and Training beforeattending foreign programmes.
“Our foreign partners will not agree to add Vietnam’s compulsory content totheir training programmes. They grant students certificates and they want themto learn authentic programmes,” she said.
“Theadditional content will also be a barrier for students and educationinstitutions when they try to access fully-imported training programmes,” Ngocsaid.
Duong ThiHoai Son of the Sakura Montessori School said she disagreed with the draftdecree provision that requires teachers at nursery schools to be collegegraduates.
She saidthis condition was not necessary because nursery teachers taking care of babiesaged 12 to 18 months did not need higher education qualifications.
“Enthusiasm and love for children are more important,” she said.-VNA
VNA
