Pursuing a university degree has traditionally been the top choice of the majority of high school graduates. However, the recently increasing year-on-year numbers of unemployed university graduates have demotivated students and their parents to take this route. 2015 had 225,000 university graduates jobless.

Reports by various provincial Departments of Education and Training (DOET) show a remarkable decrease in the number of students registering for university education.

Hanoi, with 14,716 out of 66,006 students not registering to take university education, is seeing a high proportion in the city's history.

Additionally, school reports showed a high percentage of students choosing to take Geography test for school finals. The proportion is 85-90 percent at many high schools. Meanwhile, very few students have selected Biography or History.

Under the current regulations, students are required to take three compulsory tests including Math, Literature and Foreign languages (mostly English) and an optional subject chosen from the following offers: Geography, History, Biology, Physics and Chemistry.  

Geography is a subject often chosen by students who wish to study in Social Sciences. However, many opted to take this subject do not intend to further their study at a university but only aim for high graduation score. According to a school teacher, “Geography questions are short, easy to understand. Meanwhile, students can use an atlas when analyzing figures. Students can easily get high scores from the exam subject.”

Commentary by Nga Bui, Education Services Manager

Over the past few years, most schools across Vietnam conducted career orientation seminars on their campuses, and this is believed to helped change students’ mindset regarding a route to pursue a career.  It also encourages them to consider vocational routes as a time-saving and cost-effective option to earn a job, particularly those from rural areas.

This trend, in fact, should be seen as positive sign for Vietnam given it has for long been stuck with the surpassing supply of graduates from academic areas while the market is in serious demand for skilled labourers.

The General Department of Vocational Training under the Ministry of Labour, Invalid and Social Affairs has recently advocated the pilot of 34 vocational programmes at 45 vocational colleges. The training programmes include 8 from Malaysia, 12 from Australia and the rest from Germany, most of which are implemented under bi-lateral governmental fundings. 2017 will start with 22 first programmes. Graduates from these international programmes will receive qualifications awarded by the above respective countries and have opportunity to work in the above three countries as well as other ASEAN members. This is part of the country’s preparation for the integration into the ASEAM Community.

Sources

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/education/152588/12th-graders-no-longer-aim-to-have-university-education.html

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/education/152753/more-students-decide-not-to-pursue-university-education.html