In recent years, the number of secondary school graduates deciding to turn to vocational training has gradually increased. However, there are still many psychological and policy barriers that prevent this rate from being as expected.

9+3 model
Since 2011, Directive 10 of the Politburo has had content on strengthening the flow of students after secondary school, with the goal of striving to have at least 30% of students after graduating from secondary school go to vocational training by 2020. . Since then, many colleges and intermediate schools have implemented the 9+3 model, with students graduating from secondary school learning both vocational training and cultural programs according to regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Currently, the state has many policies to encourage vocational training after secondary school.

Parents are still apprehensive
According to Dr. Pham Vu Quoc Binh, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Vocational Education, Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, after Directive 10 of the Politburo, the most recent is the Decision approving the vocational education development strategy. 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2045 of the Prime Minister, setting a goal of attracting 50-55% of students to graduate from middle and high school by 2030.

“But currently, on average nationwide, only about 19-20% of students graduating from secondary school enter vocational training. This number has increased significantly compared to previous years, although the rate is still not as expected. Although the policy has created favorable conditions to attract students to vocational training, there are still many inadequacies and barriers from parents’ psychology and from some regulations on labor employment,” said Dr. Quoc Binh.

Vien Dong College welcomes more than 200 new students to enroll in the 9+3+1 College system for students graduating from secondary school on June 17, 2024.

It is necessary to integrate vocational education into the general curriculum

Dr. Pham Vu Quoc Binh believes that vocational education needs to promote career counseling for students from early on, even from elementary school. In the future, we should integrate a number of occupations into the program, allowing students to get acquainted and try to “role play” professional positions, from which they will know their abilities and desires to work towards. “The state has made vocational training free, so there should be a free policy when students study cultural subjects in vocational schools. In addition, labor use policies at state administrative agencies should also change so that apprentices can be recruited in suitable positions,” Dr. Binh shared.

One of the solutions to attract students to vocational training, according to Master Phan Thi Le Thu, Vice Principal of Vien Dong College (HCMC), is that vocational schools must really focus on investing in training quality, Flexibility to change teaching methods.

Master Le Thu stated the opinion: “To attract more learners, vocational schools want to provide cultural training in the continuing education system and be granted high school diplomas by the Department of Education and Training like continuing education centers; because currently the Ministry of Education -Education allows vocational school students who have studied high school to take the high school exam to get university admission scores but not be awarded a high school diploma. Besides, the shared information data set should be unified when students have the right to choose to post Register for vocational training right on the system of the Ministry of Education and Training.”

The proportion of good and excellent students actively choosing vocational training is increasing

Master Phan Thi Le Thu said that Vien Dong College recruits students very well every year. In recent years, the school has attracted many good and excellent students to study the 9+ program. In 2023 – 2024, more than 50% of good and excellent students in 4 consecutive years of secondary school will register from the beginning, showing that parents have begun to have a different view on vocational training.

Detailed information about the 9+3+1 College Admissions program for secondary school graduates (including 2 phases) for secondary school graduates in 2024 details here.

Source: Reducing 10th grade exam stress: Don’t let vocational school be the last solution (thanhnien.vn)