New university enrolment mechanism giddies 12th graders

 It is expected that from 2014, universities would have the right to follow their ways to enroll students instead of depending on MOET’s plans. They would be able to apply one of the three solutions to find students, either organizing university entrance exams themselves, admitting students twice a year; cooperating with other schools to enroll students; or letting students attend the national entrance exams to be organized by MOET.

The schools can design enrolment solutions themselves, depending on their training plans and purposes. They can admit students based on high school learning records or considering the exam results. Students may be interviewed, asked to write essays to show their aptitudes.

At present, all the universities and junior colleges in Vietnam, both state owned or private run, have to enroll students through the national exams organized annually by MOET.

The new enrolment mechanism with more different choices for schools has not been welcomed by students.

Le Thanh Phong, a 11th grader of Nguyen Thuong Hien High School, said he feels anxious about the new mechanism, which has been released all of sudden.

“I’m not sure if I can meet the requirements set by the targeted school, if it does not organize entrance exams, but admit students by considering learning records and other conditions,” he complained.

Phong, like many other students, have been preparing for the national university entrance exams for the last few years, since he entered high school. He has been spending most of his time on three learning subjects, which would be the university exam subjects, while making light of other subjects. Therefore, Phong fears that his GPA (grade point average) may be not good enough to be enrolled.

Loan Nguyen, a student of the Phu Nhuan High School, said she has been shocked with the news.

“How can we start from the very beginning and prepare for the university entrance exam with new format, if we have only some months ahead?” she said.

“We still don’t know what exam subjects we will have to take, because every school will make its decision,” she complained. “We have been trained to do multiple-choice tests. What will happen if the exam questions are designed in an essay-based or interview-based style?”

“We are now preparing for the university entrance exams at full swing. I wish the education ministry not to adjust anything at this moment, just several months before the exams. We cannot get adapted to the changes so quickly,” said Hoang Linh, a 12th grader of a people founded school.

Tran Ngoc Anh, a student from the same school, also said: “It is unacceptable to apply the new mechanism right from 2014, when students only have some more months ahead to prepare for the exams.”

“Does MOET think that it takes three months only to prepare for such important exams?” she continued. “It always takes time to get adapted to the new things.”

Kim Chi