“I think parents should be aware that choosing school for their children is not only choosing a gate but also a road for their children’s development”, Mrs. Le Tue Minh – director of Wellspring school said.

Although being at a top-level primary school in Hanoi, the knowledge which Quang Minh gained at class is not really useful for him to make his dream of studying abroad become true. To do so, after finish all subjects at school, he was very busy at language centers, practicing SAT centers, then domestic and foreign tutors.

However, after going to the US, Minh still found it difficult to be familiar with studying methods in the first year in American university. “At first, other people did not understand what I said and again, I did not understand what they said. The most difficulty is that students have to be active to manage their study, looking for teachers, register or adding more subjects and credit points by their own. Mostly, students are independence and active to find materials, learn and only discuss confused problems in class. It is totally different from the “reading – writing” method in Vietnam. Moreover, not only studying but also living at home, students have to take care for themselves instead of being cared by parents at home.”, Minh talked.

Lack of basic knowledge for studying abroad

After that, Quang Minh tried his best to be successful in his study in America. However, almost students will be in the exam of domestic university. Everyone including parents and students think that going to developed countries to study is a better chance for brilliant future.
Mrs. Vu Huong Lan, parent of an overseas student, said: “I don’t want my child keep thinking to “go lobby” to study at a public university then “go lobby” to work for a national company, then to get projects. So how are my child’s and the whole country’s future? I want my child to study in other developed countries and work there.”

Many parents having knowledge and at medium-to-high class in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city think and have the same target as Huong Lan. However, money is a problem for them to achieve that.

“Some parents have enough money but still unable to send their children to famous universities in the UK, US and Australia…The reason is that they do not have enough awareness of “investing” in children’s beginning to have important skills” Master of Education Management Mrs. Le Tue Minh, director of Wellspring International School explained.

Vu Huong Lan also shares the same thought: “I think that parents did not provide enough information of orientation at the beginning. I am so surprised when many directors of some big companies let their children study at poor quality schools, or choosing an expensive international school because they want to show off, instead of caring about their children’s future.”

Waste of money and hardness because of “sub-standard” knowledge.

Not having enough knowledge at the beginning and not prepare well leads to difficulty when studying at international universities. Only a few special individuals would be successful and active, the rest would not but they can do it better if having a longer term preparation.

“My classmates usually could not use foreign language well to get qualified to study abroad. Teachers remind us to study foreign language but must spend most of time to prepare for exam to university. Moreover, the majority are not confident and active enough to looking for scholarships online”, Nam Trung - a grade-11 student who has just won a scholarship to the US, talked about two obstacles of study abroad in Vietnam.

The domestic education systems do not provide enough knowledge about foreign languages and living, sports and social skills…All of these factors are important to enroll in TOP University in European and the US.

The academic factor means the incompatible certificates and degree and inappropriate studying methods. Then students are unable to study abroad. Many of them have to study English again, the foundation course…it is wasted of time and money.

International schools are a solution for this gap of Vietnamese education system, but not all of them. Although the main knowledge could be the Vietnamese curriculum but the Additional International Curriculum (English as the second language and Maths, Science, ICT) must be the International Curriculum linking to modern education system in other countries.

The importance is that the Curriculum has to provide children English skill in studying and life, other international skills and compatible degrees accepted overseas, especially famous universities.

“That is the reason why we target at the international curriculum of the UK which is accepted widely in English-spoken countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and Singapore. “When an international school teaches Mathematics, Science and ICT but not officially standardized, not managed and combined with Vietnamese curriculum to optimize the knowledge and workload, the efficiency will be low and hard for students to learn…”, Mrs. Le Tue Minh said.

Choose the road rather than the gate

The system of the UK like CIE has differences from the Vietnamese system. Grade 8 knowledge in Vietnam is similar with Checkpoint level of CIE. The next steps are International O Level or IGCSE are similar with grade 11 in Vietnam. Furthermore, students would continue to study by 3 options: 2-year college study, Foundation Course preparation for Bachelor study, 2-year A-level preparation for Bachelor study at the most famous international university.

CIE was optimized for students to choose their own way that suitable with their own needs, since High school level whereas, according to Vietnamese curriculum, until the end of high school, only general knowledge will be taught.

“The curriculum designers have to understand the different needs and abilities of Vietnamese students to create optimal processes. If choosing to study at Vietnamese university, students could choose the normal curriculum and only enhancing English. If choosing to study abroad, students would make their own choice of particular options”, Doctor of Education Adam Beales, director of international curriculum at Wellspring, said.

“Optimizing the process of study to open a range of opportunities for students is at the top priority of a curriculum. I think parents should know that choosing a school is not only choosing a gate but also a long way for children’s future.” according to Mrs. Le Tue Minh, director of Wellspring International School.

Duy Khánh

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