One decision makes thousands of MA’s lose degree

VietNamNet Bridge – Fifteen universities nationwide have received a dispatch from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), which requests the schools to cancel the recognition for matriculation of thousands of MA course students.

MOET released the decision after finding out that the thousands of graduate students were exempted from attending the foreign language exam, a compulsory exam subject, which means that the schools violated the Circular No. 10 dated in 2011, which stipulates the regulations on enrolling learners for master training courses.

The schools include many big names such as the Hanoi National University, the Hanoi Economics University, HCM City Economics University and Hanoi Foreign Trade University. 

With the decision, the learners who have been following the training courses for master degree may have to stop learning.

Quynh Anh, an officer of the Information Center under the Ministry of Construction, who graduated from the Hanoi Foreign Language Pedagogical University, has become a learner without having to attend the entrance foreign language exam. By the day of attending at the class, she had been working as a teacher at the Foreign Language University, a member of the Hanoi National University.

“I would be ready to attend an additional foreign language exam. This would not be a big challenge for me, because I am a foreign language teacher and I speak foreign language every day. However, it would be unreasonable to abrogate the recognition for matriculation,” Anh said.

She went on to say that in order to become a learner of the training courses for a master degree, candidates had to pass professional entrance exams and they only did not have to attend the foreign language exam. The learners received the notice of admission in August 2011 and began learning in October 2011. As such, they have been following the training for six months.

“Most of us have paid tuition for half of the training course, worth more than 10 million dong. Some of us have paid for the whole course. What should we do now?” Anh questioned.

Hoang Thi Lan Phuong, Deputy Director of the University Training Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, said on Tien phong that foreign language exam is a compulsory exam stipulated in the current valid legal documents. She said that only 15 out of the 130 schools violated the regulations, which show that they deliberately ignore the regulations and they need to be punished.

Meanwhile, representatives of the schools have argued that the regulations are not clear enough, which has led to misunderstanding. An officer of the training division of a southern university said that the circular does not say about the requirements on foreign language skills.

Meanwhile, Phuong of MOET has affirmed that the ministry has every reason to release such a harsh decision. She said that ministry asked the economics school to re-organize the entrance exams right after it discovered problems. However, the school has ignored the ministry’s instruction.

Meanwhile, the other 10 schools complained that they did not receive any warnings from the ministry before they heard about the decision to abrogate the recognition for matriculation.

“We made public the plan to enroll learners for master training courses right at the beginning of the year. MOET also sent inspectors to the school to supervise the exams. The ministry’s officials did not say that we violated the regulations,” the president of a school complained.

Professor Hoang Van Chau from the Hanoi Foreign Trade University said on VTC that according to the circular, the head of the schools set requirements on the foreign language skills of candidates. Therefore, leaders of schools think that they have the right to make decisions on exempting exams for some subjects.

C. V

PM promotes more vocational training

PM promotes more vocational training

Students learn how to use a lathe at the Viet Nam-Korea Vocational College. According to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, the vocational training sector hopes to train 34 million labourers by 2020. (Photo: VNS)

VietNamNet Bridge – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed yesterday, March 8, that the development of education and vocational training was one of the most important policies for Viet Nam's transition to an industrial country by 2020.

He made the statement at a meeting held to gather expert opinions on draft strategies for education and training, and vocational training development policies in the 2011-2020 period.

The vocational training sector aims to increase the number of trained labourers to 40 per cent of the workforce by 2015 and 55 per cent by 2020, equivalent to 23.5 million and 34.4 million people, respectively.

About 9.6 million labourers would be trained during the 2011-15 period and an additional 12.9 million would receive training from 2016-20. About 190 vocational colleges with 51,000 lecturers will be ready to train new labourers by 2015.

The draft strategy for vocational training chalked out nine solutions to reach these targets. Three of the targets, including renewing State management over vocational training, developing a network of vocational training schools and developing quality assurance measures, were considered the key elements.

Centre to help farmers Coffee farmers in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong will be able to obtain international certification, improve their capacity and increase their incomes with support from a new vocational training centre that opened on Wednesday. Located in the Bao Loc town, the centre was put into operation by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector funding arm of the World Bank, in collaboration with the ECOM group, one of the biggest coffee corporations in the world. Equipped with a modern laboratory and information on updated sustainable agricultural development models, the centre aims to train around 4,000 local farmers in the next three years. IFC and ECOM have already set up vocational training centres for farmers in several major coffee production areas around the world, starting from central America in 2007. "The centre will help us to attain better quality for coffee as well as improve the living standards of farmers," said Jean Christopher Mani, an ECOM representative. "IFC and ECOM share the same concerns - to strengthen links between farmers and the global coffee supply chain to boost Viet Nam's coffee industry," said Simon Andrews, IFC director for Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Viet Nam. It is expected that around 50,000 coffee households, who are not yet customers of ECOM, will indirectly benefit from technical and financial documents at the centre, as well as market and pricing information that it disseminates.

At the meeting, some experts said that apart from the three key solutions as mentioned, the connection between vocational schools, labour markets and entrepreneurs should be clarified to assure labourers could meet needs.

Others said that enlarging vocational training models, improving infrastructure and techniques for vocational centres by mobilising different investment sources and increasing the ability of these centres should be included in the strategy.

For the draft education and training strategy, experts said it should solidify solutions to improve morale among teaching staff, enhance investment sources and develop a specific roadmap for examinations, especially university entrance examinations.

In response to these opinions, PM Dung said the development of education and training and vocational training must result in a skilled labour force to meet the demand of key economic sectors and serve the nation's economic restructuring.

He instructed the ministries of Education and Training, and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to adjust and complete the draft strategies soon.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

The 9X playboys

The 9X playboys

VietNamNet Bridge – The only requirement for students to join the “young lord” community, i.e. the world of playboys born in 1990s, called the “9X generation,” is that they must have a lot of money and spend money like water.

“The Luong’s hair style”

The birthday parties through the night have become very popular among the 9X generation students. The parties are not simply organized to celebrate the birthday of the owners, but also serve as the occasion for them to show off their “upper class” in the society.

Birthday cake has become no longer in fashion. The main part of every birthday parties nowadays is the vibrant music, with shouts, “wild dances” which creates a “hot atmosphere.”

NT Thanh from the Thanh Do University said that she once had the chance to attend such a birthday party. In fact, only the “big cheeses” with much money could obtain an invitation ticket. “I am not rich, but I still could go to the party, because I have been his close friends since the childhood,” Thanh explained.

“The birthday party of a rich young man is really different from the party of a normal student,” Thanh commented. All the participants at the party did not follow a normal way to introduce themselves. They did not say where they were from, but they only talked about the money of their parents.

“My friend is well known as a “small boss”, because he is the son of a big owner of a grocery store in Hoai Duc district in Hanoi,” she said.

NTLuong, who has just graduated from the Hanoi Culture University, is also a well known name. She has been well-known not only because she is rich, but because she has a very special hair, showing her strong personality.

Because of the hair, Luong has a nick name “Luong doll”. In fact, Luong’s hair is a popular style in the teenagers’ community, and a lot of students of the culture school also have the same hair style. However, only Luong has become famous, simply because she is rich. 

“Everything used by playboys would catch the special attention from the community,” Thu, also a culture university’s student explained.

“Therefore, if we see someone with the same hair style, we would say that this is the “Luong’s hair style.”

The “Hanoi’s playboys.”

“When you have money, you will have the right to do everything,” this is a popular saying among the students.

Sharing pictures of their houses or rooms on Facebook to show their fortune is now in fashion. 

VKien is considered one of the most attractive boys of the FPT University. He now lives in a house in the central area of Hanoi with well equipped facilities. The life of the student from Hai Duong province is the dream of many other students.

Being an information technology student, Kien has set up a website of his own, where he usually posts the images taken from his trips with the special captions, like “the projection room is smaller than… my kitchen”.

Like Kien, Chi Lam from the Civil Construction Junior College, also likes to show off his upper class everywhere.

The big payment invoices are the way that Lam uses to show his richness. Lam wants everybody know that Lam is a Hanoi’s playboy, and that Lam is the name which is indispensable in the “Hanoi’s young lord community.

As the big lords spend much time and money to show off their upper class, they do not have time for learning. Kien’s name always can be found in the list of the students who have to retake. Meanwhile, Chi Lam name has been added into the “black list” of the school for different counts.

Minh Hien

Ba Ria-Vung Tau to relocate Gov't offices

Ba Ria-Vung Tau to relocate Gov't offices

VietNamNet Bridge – The administrative and political centre of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau is set to be relocated from Vung Tau City to Ba Ria Township by the end of April.

Photo: Internet

Director of the provincial Department of Construction Nguyen Huu Manh said contractors had pledged to finish all related construction by the end of next month.

Most of the project has already been completed, including the provincial People's Committee's office and the interior of the conference centre. Local governmental source said contractors were finishing work on infrastructure such as roads, power supply, lights and communications.

Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Tran Minh Sanh has also urged the construction department to focus on speeding up work to ensure it is completed by the deadline.

"At the beginning, we planned to complete the relocation by the end of 2011," Sanh said, "but due to delays in construction and purchase of equipment, the project's deadline has been shifted back by several months."

Sanh said several agencies and departments had already moved to new offices in Ba Ria Township, with the provincial court, people's procuracy, military command and library already open for business.

The new offices are scheduled to be handed over to the management board in the first half of April.

The project, under Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's Decision No15/2007/QD-TTg dated January 29, 2007, aims to make Ba Ria Township the province's administrative centre as well as it's biggest trade and economic exchange centre.

The relocation of the administrative centre also aims to prioritise tourism development in Vung Tau City, as well as make Ba Ria Township a development core for neighbouring districts.

The new centre is expected to create favourable conditions for organisations and individuals to implement public policy activities.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

People flock to “odd garden” to seek disease treatment

People flock to “odd garden” to seek disease treatment

VietNamNet Bridge – A garden in Long An Province that was rumored 7 years ago to have an ability to treat various diseases, has been crowded again recently, with hundreds of people coming everyday, authorities reported. 

The photo taken on May 31, 2011 shows many people staying in the garden. (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

After several months of cooling down, people have begun to flock to the garden in Duc Lap Thuong Commune, Duc Hoa District, Long An Province, again since they consider it to be a “magical garden” that can rid them of diseases, said Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, deputy chairman of the commune.

The garden’s owner is Nguyen Van Song, whose daughter Nguyen Thi Kim Hong was rumored in 2004 to be able to treat diseases, such as rheumatism, paralysis, and even cancer, in a superstitious manner. 

The visitors drank water from a well in the garden that they believe was able to treat diseases.

The 2,000 square meter garden now receives about 400 people per day from different localities, including HCMC, Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Bac Lieu, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, and Hanoi. 

The gatherings have caused security and order in the area to become a complex issue, since many people have taken advantage of the opportunity to offer transport services, set up eateries and rent houses, Trang said. 

Last May, when the garden was flooded with numerous people, local authorities, police, relevant agencies and scientists rejected the rumor of the healing garden, the superstitious people returned home.

This time, the local authorities are once again trying to persuade the crowd to leave the garden. 

In 2004, it was rumored that the garden had a “biological power” that helped cure people of their diseases.

Hong asked her patients to say their prayers at the garden to recover from their illnesses, without having to use any medicine.

In September 2004, the number of people gathered in the garden once amounted to 700 per day.

Her patients at that time did not know that Hong had been arrested in June 2003 and was later sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by the Long An Province People’s Court for superstitious practices.

After serving her sentences she falsely claimed that her body had the ability of self-illumination, a superstition that was spread by many people.

Since many people said that the garden had a mysterious power that helped them recover from illnesses, even by simply walking around the garden, many concerned agencies launched surveys of the garden and later affirmed that its was just like any other garden.

In October 2005, Vo Thi Ngoan, Song’s wife, and five other people were detained for several months by local police in the province’s Duc Hoa District for provoking others to cause public disorder and act against law enforcement officers who came to persuade the superstitious people to leave the garden.

Ngoan, who is 66 years old, and three of the people were released several months later.

VietNamNet/Tuoi Tre

Ministry inspects regional bird flu prevention, control

Ministry inspects regional bird flu prevention, control

Seven groups from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development are inspecting bird flu prevention and control in 48 cities and provinces as the disease spreads. 

The missions will monitor localities' prevention and control measures against the disease, including preparation of essential materials, equipment, chemicals and poultry vaccinations.

Inspection results will be reported to the ministry's Department of Animal Health before February 25.

According to statistics from the department, bird flu has been reported in six provinces of Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Ha Nam, Hai Duong and Hai Phong.

The department warned that there was a high risk of bird flu spreading further in the near future as a result of unfavourable weather conditions and a lack of appropriate vaccination against the disease.

Northern Hai Phong city is the latest locality to report a bird flu outbreak, which occurred last Friday. Nearly 1,500 ducks raised by a household in Da Phuc Commune in Duong Kinh District showed signs of bird flu from early last week, and a total of 460 poultry have died. 

Samples from the poultry tested positive to the disease, said Head of Hai Phong Department of Animal Health Pham Van Cong.

"Local animal health officials have culled all the affected poultry and taken drastic measures to prevent further spread of the disease, including sterilising breeding farms, setting up quarantine stations, vaccinating poultry and banning the transport of poultry and poultry products in high-risk areas," he said.

The ministry has instructed localities to launch a month of sanitation and sterilisation starting from tomorrow to actively fight poultry and animal diseases. 

It will focus on cleaning and sterilising breeding farms, markets, slaughtering houses, transport vehicles and poultry products. 

The latest bird flu statistics show that so far this year the disease has affected more than 1,800 poultry and forced the slaughter of nearly 7,000 domestic fowl.

Since early this year, the H5N1 virus has also claimed two human lives in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta's Soc Trang and Kien Giang Provinces.

Nationwide disinfecting campaign launched to curb bird flu 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will launch a month-long campaign tomorrow to disinfect locations across the country as a move to prevent the spreading of bird flu, which was reported in six provinces so far this year.

Accordingly, cattle and poultry farms are required to spray chemicals to disinfect the farm and surrounding areas once per week.

Hatching centres also have to take antidotal and disinfecting measures when transporting eggs for breeding and young animals every day. The same goes for slaughtering houses and poultry markets.

Communes will assign staff to take disinfecting measures, which will be funded by the local budget. Local authorities and animal health officers will oversee the hatching centres and slaughtering houses.

At present, six affected provinces are Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Ha Nam, Hai Duong and Hai Phong. According to the ministry's Department of Animal's Health, the bird flu disease is at risk of breaking out due to weather conditions and the shortage of proper vaccines in localities.

VNS

Student housing needs bond financing

Student housing needs bond financing

VietNamNet Bridge – Student housing projects this year will require financing from Government bond issues estimated at VND2.5 trillion (US$119 million), according to the Ministry of Construction.

An overcrowded student dormitory at Ha Noi University of Science and Technology. During 2011-15, 4.8 million sq.m of housing to accommodate students will be developed at a total cost of about $1.4 billion. (Photo: VNS)

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung previously approved a decision listing 94 student housing projects nationwide. Another 18 new projects, with allocated land approved by local authorities, were likely to be added to the list, requiring VND400 billion ($19 million) in bond financing, including three projects involving training for special human resources responsible for security and policy and strategy implementation for islands in the East Sea.

Two of these are being implemented by the Ministry of Defence, while the third is under the auspices of Viet Nam Maritime University in Hai Phong.

Twelve of the remaining new projects belong to such sectors as health and vocational training in border and remote areas in which many ethnic minority students lack accommodation. Three other projects are housing developments for vocational students in Ha Tinh, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen provinces.

The Ministry of Construction will allocate funds for priority projects which can progress quickly and be completed this year. VND218 billion ($10 million) in bond proceeds from 2010 remain undisbursed in six localities, a situation the ministry seeks to avoid going forward.

According to statistics on the Government website, Viet Nam will have an estimated 4.3 million students by 2015, 70 per cent of them needing accommodation. Current student housing projects underway can only meet the demand of about 1 million students. Therefore, another 4.8 million sq.m of housing will be developed during 2011-15, at a total cost of about VND30 trillion ($1.4 billion).

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News