Chapter III :

Actual Situation of the Vietnamese Education

1- Realities of the educational system of Vietnam.

In each of us, we ascertain that the destination of education is to « train  the social being », « to constitute this being in each of us »[1] . It is therefore an essential factor that favors the prosperity of a society, of a country which « finds itself, at each new generation, faced with a table nearly demolished on which it must build new expenditures »[2] . In other words, its civilization and its development depend on the result of education. By observing the level and manners of living of citizens, their savoir-vivre, one can measure how far the educational development of a country reaches because « whatever the morals, customs, and ways of thinking of the people are, in a word their culture, this one [education] is transmitted first ».[3] The degradation of educational system drags along many consequences not very desirable. Living in a century where globalization accelerates from day to day, an education that is not up to date raises the recoil of people’s development. This is here the problem that Vietnam has suffered. The communist system became loosened little by little since 1986, epoch of "renewal" and began to take its soaring in the early 90s. In striving to integrate and establish relations with foreign countries in several domains, Vietnam at last perceives the gaps of its educational system. It is through this that one obtained the record for "renovations" in education. Besides the "renovations" before 1975 in northern Vietnam, the first "renovation" in the south took place in 1980. The second "renovation" was made in 1987. From this "renovation", consecutively succeeded "renovations" of all levels, school textbooks ... In observing from afar, the foreigners admire well the continued "renovations" of a country of third party world. This manifests its effort to move forward. However, as a matter of fact, in spite of all its efforts of "renovations" by spending an enormous sum of money for every "renovation", the Vietnamese education has not yet reached the desired level.

Never in the past, the problem of education has been plainly and publicly analyzed, repeatedly in journals, as in this year 2004. We notice that in the progress report of the President of the Minister of Education and Training or the Department of Education is always exposed the same argument : a lot of progress, great investment from the government for education, strengthening of English in the teaching program, enormous progress of the quality of education in the suburbs, increase the percentage of students received examinations, construction of the University of Saigon… A whole litany of other "success" is mentioned in the same manner : reduction of school charges for the poor children, immigrants, construction of new schools, good regimen for teachers of far off regions … We often hear this kind of discourse in the past. We are reluctant to confront the real situation and we forget that without this we can not find adequate means permitting to remedy or to raise the quality of education. But, this time here, very strong reactions upheave. Here are some examples.

Mr. PHAM GIA KHIEM, holding the functions of Deputy Prime Minister and Vice President of the Board of National Education and Mr. NGUYEN MINH HIEN, Minister of Education and Training have organized a meeting that took place in Ho Chi Minh city on August 16, 2004, with forty delegates of teachers, administrators of education, and researchers. Mister Minister of Education and Training NGUYEN MINH HIEN opened the first session by the recapitulation of "some acquired success " and "problems that remain to resolve". After this opening remark of symposium, the delegates began to expose their reactions, opinions, and concerns. Professor TRAN THANH DAM considered the report of the minister as a « sort of explanation rather than a research to resolve the problem » while the National Congress justifiably has the need to « resolve the problem ». Professor DUONG THIEU TONG, him, did not give his accord because in his opinion, the explanation is not just a simple report and it considers a true « evaluation of the real and current situation of education ». In his explanation, the researcher TRAN BACH DANG demanded the "honesty" and that they courageously and "frankly acknowledge" the problem in a scientific manner. In his opinion, the utilization of words and expressions in the report should be very prudent. For example, the minister proclaimed that there « exist only a negligible percentage of students manifesting insolence and bad education ». We must dare to look at the opposite problem because sometimes the social scourges spout from "insignificant matters". (I take the liberty here to speak of "social scourge" rather than social fact since I am well situated in this research like an implicated actor and not simply like a sociologist who claims for the absolute neutrality ...). TRAN BACH DANG highlighted at the same time different "gaps" in the report of the Minister who has not at all addressed the educational subject of the poor, people with family difficulties, and in which the objectives of the evaluation and proposed solutions remain very vague. The Minister insisted on the accessory matters : the problem to provide "private courses ",[4] for example. This problem is not a great concern in education. A good administration will automatically put an end to this movement. Professor TRAN THANH DAM in turn expresses his opinions : « The education of Vietnam fell into a process of crisis, at least from these last ten years ». In his opinion, most of the reasons that lead to it take their source of subjectivity of direction and administration in education.

On September 14, 2004 in the afternoon, all delegates of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh city, whose Mrs. PHAM PHUONG THAO is the president, met with members of the Department of Education of Ho Chi Minh city in examining the situation of education concerning this city to raise its quality in the years to come. Mr. LE HIEU DANG said that « the problems outlined in the progress report still remain too simple ; would it be reasonable that the teaching industry does not encounter difficulties ? » Mr. VO VAN SEN manifested his torment in saying : « We must specify where the quality of education remains […]. We can only find appropriate ways to raise it again only at that condition ».

On September 27, 2004, in Ha Noi, a significant number of scientists and education specialists reunited to gather opinions to contribute to the content of the report concerning the situation of Vietnamese educational system. This meeting served the purpose to listen to different opinions and reactions with a view to preparing the minutes for the next National Congress. The majority of delegates appreciated the efforts of the Committee that drafted the 5th report in having gathered enough opinions of teachers and education specialists. However because of the imperative care for the weakness and poorly developed intellect of education, a great number of delegates demanded to dig to the bottom of its quality and methods of teaching. Professor HOANG DINH TUY expressed himself in that manner : « The fundamental problem of the Vietnamese education today is the lack of synchronism, remained poorly developed, and slow to renew. This is why the people responsible to direct the boat of education must be the people having a "broader view " to fully meet the needs increasingly raised by society ».

Some scientists consider that the result of education does not reach the desired level, the conditions which preside over the development of education are poorly developed ; and that the children of poor families, low income, together with children of ethnic minorities encounter many obstacles in the approach to education. Persist furthermore a few negative phenomena slack to surmount such as : false reports concerning the success, cheating at the moment of examinations, incompetent teachers, private courses almost mandatory …

The 1st session of the 22nd meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Congress was held on September 20, 2004. The Minister of Education and Training NGUYEN MINH HIEN has made the report concerning the educational situation of Vietnam. In reality, there is nothing new in respect to what the Ministry officials has already recognized. Quote among others : quality of education not reaching the targeted level, educational methods poorly developed, negative phenomenons slow to surmount… Mr. NGUYEN QUANG BINH, president of the Committee of Voluntary People of Congress, presented a synthesis of observations from electors and teachers, who made him decide an attenuated sense of all these limitations. And he asked to add to the report presented to Congress all these opinions that are worthy of being pointed out to be able to surmount them. In his opinion, the Vietnamese educational system is truly poorly developed. In comparing it with that of Thailand, it occupies a very humble place : 50 times worse than that of Thailand ! There exists only 6% of the population that is illiterate according to the report of Ministry of Education, a relatively low percentage. Even the economically developed countries must strive to attain it. On the other hand, Mr. BINH showed another different figure which made everybody startled : approximately 6.8 million people over 10 years old never put their feet in school. Among this number, 5.3 million people are illiterate. In his opinion, what is not very encouraging, is that even in the contingent of intellectuals, teachers, doctors, there exists very few valid researchs, while initiatives, researchs of not very educated people are worth much better and apply with more conformity in social life. Likewise, the moral of teachers and students is degrading day by day. In that aspect, the dependence to drug of more and more younger people, insult of students towards teachers, the choice of « unhealthy » films… become a widespread phenomenon that we have not imagined. But these hot issues are very vaguely approached in the report considered as sufficiently general drafted by the Ministry of Education. Mr. BINH has received this report and he acknowledged that he has read it and reread several times without having able to find an adequate solution.

Likewise, the verification report of "Committee of culture and training of adolescents and children" presented by Mr. NGUYEN DINH HUONG, Vice President, seems very "severe". This committee particularly accentuates the two great defiances of educational system nowadays : The cheating in education and the rapid extension of private courses. The balance sheet is very heavy. Cheating has enormously widespread in many regions and at several levels. Copy after its neighbor, bribe a teacher to have a good grade…., all this was considered like a shame yesterday and becomes normal today. « Parents buy a diploma for their child, it is therefore normal to offer an envelope to the teacher to obtain him a good grade » the report revealed. The atmosphere of the assembly became profound and thoughtful to that intervention of HUONG : « In the history of Vietnamese education, never the service to lend a hand to write theses and memoir have ever publicly made by the advertisement as today. It is true that these "negative" phenomenons are economically incomparable to consequences caused by the detour of "envelopes". However the loss of social morality and human quality is considerably serious… ». It must thus understand that poverty breaks the moral values in favor of mere survival. Resisting corruption becomes in that case a very difficult undertaking.

To prepare for the start of the new school year 2004-2005, the management of TRUONG VINH KY school in Ho Chi Minh city organized a pedagogical session for school teachers. There was present Mr. LE NGOC TRA, Director of Research Institute of Education at the University of Pedagogy in Ho Chi Minh city. At the end of the session, the journalists of "GIAO DUC" (Education) asked him numerous questions pressing on the current situation of education. Here are some extracts that reflect a not very encouraging picture. [5]

Sir, the intensive degradation of education is the most pressing problem in society today. How do you explain it ?

In my opinion, the education of our country is a picture that reflects the situation of society in general. Our country stays in a stage of complex system change of budgetary subsidies by the market economy under socialist orientations. The school environment evidently can not extricate from this trajectory. In addition, it is thereof deeply influenced. This is the reason why, the school encounters a great difficulty to properly accomplish its duty of teaching. On one side, the budget and investment for education stand very weak. On the other side, several social values, morals, culturals… are banal : the phenomenon of "conceal life", "double life" becomes more and more widespread in the current society. In other words, although for a long time education is considered as the "first national policy", investment for education still remains very low (about 14% of the national budget). Being very low, the salary of the teacher is not sufficient for his family needs …, which makes it difficult to guarantee good quality together with the good result of education.…

Another reason that hinders the development of both economy and education is that society requires too many diplomas. Obtain diplomas without real talent, without personality, it does not serve any good for society and for the good of the country. Likewise, the organization of examinations is renewed every year without ever being stable.

We must revise the objectives of education because, for a long time, its concept remains undecided. Particularly, we must specify the objective of each matter. For a long time, I am very concerned about the quality of program content of school textbooks for all levels : without continuity nor unity (as written by several different groups). Likewise, it truly is very heavy, in terms of quality and quantity. How can teachers find time to renovate their teaching methods and achieve other pedagogical practices with such a content of the program ? I therefore propose to reduce the teaching program and its content, diminish hours of classes for teachers. At the same time, it must change, renovate the manner of evaluation, control, ready-reckoner of the grades… In a word, we must think over its concept, put back to the point of objective, place and duty of education from primary to university.

In these latest months, the government administrative organizations in respect to education are severely criticized in several areas as much in popular information as in National Congress. What is your opinion on this subject ?

In my point of view, our administrative organizations in the field of education are limited in several areas. It is necessary to ameliorate them significantly. Everyone cares more or less for education, but there is little research in this field. The faculty of educational psychology at the university should be the strongest. But the reality is not quite as we think. In foreign countries, the faculty of educational science is  valued and expands very rapidly. Evidently, we know that most teachers live in a difficult economical situation : low-wage, unstable living conditions. They are not able to entirely invest in teaching. However, it must not impute all the fault to them completely. Honestly speaking, teachers are not well prepared for essential needs by the normal school, at the level of quality and pedagogical abilities. Quality : Little training on personality and love of his profession. Pedagogical abilities : It speaks only of teaching abilities, knowledge. The pedagogical methods are forgotten and even the professional and essential necessities are not sufficiently addressed such as : task concerning examinations, classification of student assessment. Undergraduates are not prepared for their future task of education. In other words, teachers who only know to transmit their knowledge are numerous but those who can educate, help children to become men are insufficient although it is the most important necessity. Therefore renovation methods to teach and to learn are put up for question. But this question must be re-conceptualized, re-examined from start of origin because until now we have intellectualized the education of students. Reality reveals to us the phenomenon to shape, mechanically impose thought. This is what happened as much in secondary schools as in universities and which, in neutralizing the individual, does not favor the development of creativity and does not allow the child to dare think, act, and assume his responsibility… The current concept of education is to individualize teaching. That is to say that teaching requires the accompanying of each student in individually helping to develop their talents, creativity, thoughts, and personality. Doing so ensures humanity and justice in education.

2- What to do ?

Faced with this actual situation of education, the renovation is necessary. It is an urgent need and active collaboration throughout the society. But it is also a problem in several unknowns. To resolve them, an essential condition is to dare to face all these gaps without ever seeking to camouflage them.

Mrs. NGUYEN THI BINH, former National Vice President, as Minister of the Ministry of Education and Training for several years is a lady of heart and very dynamic for the education in the country. Faced with the degradation of the educational system, she proposes to choose year 2005 as the year "of recovery of education" by presenting very concrete tasks to "achieve immediately". She expresses herself : In my opinion, more than ever, we must indeed estimate  the honesty, the personality of the teacher and administrators of education. It requires to fight against cheating in examinations, the desire to obtain the result at any price, the "negative" extension of the phenomenon to give private courses, the collection of unauthorized supplementary charges. His interview with journalists from "TUOI TRE" proposes some leads.[6]

Madam, to enhance education, what should the branch of teaching do ? In your opinion, what are the concrete tasks that are the primary needs ?

Here is the government’ strategy on the subject of education. From now to year 2010 : 50% of the students will attend secondary school; 200/1000 of the population will enter universities. I doubt about the result of this objective because the primordial conditions still remain insufficient. To pledge ourselves, we are obligated to make a great effort. To raise education, it is therefore the effort to solve the urgent needs with a view to solve the insufficiencies of the current branch of education in the area of quality in general, discipline in school, the number and quality of teachers, and above all in the area of administration.

In my opinion, fetch a solution for the recovery of education must return to the key point : the reality of quality of educational administrators and teachers. Today, this requires strengthening the training of a strong team of teachers in all aspects, particularly that of the political personality, quality of the manner of living, and professional conscience.

Why rectify, build a team of teachers, administrators of education, is it the first priority for the recovery of education ?

Not that it doesn’t exist good schools, good teachers who have heart and empower the younger generation. However we must recognize that the negative phenomenons have spread and continue to spread in school. The number of teachers whose quality declines, run after money, do not take serious about their responsibility, augments day by day. The phenomenon of giving private courses is like an epidemic that is propagated rapidly and in a very "negative" manner, which involves cheating in examinations, fake diplomas… These scourges influence at the same time the quality of teachers’ training and morals of the young generation.

Directive No. 40 was raised : « it is necessary to review, filter teachers, administrators ». It is true that we must seriously review the conduct of every teacher and every administrator and decide to displace the incompetent people and those who are deficient in proper conduct. The review of teacher’s team is a difficult and complex work. But it is not because it is difficult and complex that we should drop it in water. Evidently, it is necessary that a concrete policy is put into execution. Even young teachers who have been officially trained are not sure to have obtained the required level and necessary quality to respond to new needs…

And to achieve these objectives in this actual situation, what are the concrete means of which the administrative office of education needs ?

Concretely speaking, it is necessary to penetrate to the bottom of this concept : "The professor does not only teach the culture but educates man". First, the teacher must set a good example in his manner of living. The teacher must be a good teacher, competent in moral and human education. He teaches student to master, to be dynamic. The student must realize that to learn, is to understand and act with a creative manner. In particular, university professors must change and renew their teaching methods in helping undergraduates know to learn in an active and creative manner, keep in relation with reality and prepare for oneself an assured entry into life.

From experience of direct administration in the Office of Education for several years, in your opinion, could the epidemic of giving private courses be solved ?

I believe that the phenomenon of giving unlimited private courses is commercialized… and could be completely solved provided that the office of administration take sufficiently severe and strong measures. Give private courses in a condemned "negative" manner by society partially comes from the decline of morality, pragmatism from a large part of teachers. But it’s also the fault of the educational administrators of all levels who release control. It even occurs, I believe, that we "close eyes" and we agree with bad elements…

3- Grey Table

a) Unexpected Consequences

At the entrance of several large schools, especially for twenty years after1975, a slogan of Kouang Tseu, proudly erected on the first floor, astounded the eyes of every passerby. The younger generation resolutely believes that its author is Ho Chi Minh :

"For the interest of ten years, plant a tree,
For the interest of a hundred years, instruct the people".

(Kouang-Tseu, China Third-Fourth s.av. J.-C.)

The evaluation of an educational system after thirty years is necessary for any renovation. However, education is a very delicate and sensitive problem. We need to "evaluate it with prudence", remarked PHAM GIA KHIEM, Vice Minister of Ministry of Education and Training. « A proper evaluation of an educational system necessitates a proper concept », said Professor NGUYEN VAN HANH, former Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education and Training. It is true that the Department of Education in Ho Chi Minh city in particular has done a great deal of encouraging progress in the past years. However, in examining the needs and situation of the current society, result of examinations, mentality and manner of living and demeanor of youth, it also requires a great deal of efforts to believe without reaching to convince the effectiveness of the educational system.

b) First result of the entrance competitive examination to the University

According to statistics searched on the dependent Internet of Vietnamese government, in 2003, only 14% of students obtained passing mark in the three subjects (15/30) at the entrance competitive examination to the university. The result of the one in 2002 was similar.

 

2002

2003

Number of candidates

Passing mark

Percentage below the passing mark

823 402

8.39

86.6%

874 402

8.27

86%

This result manifests the quality of teaching in schools today. This is the result of a long period when the education officials, running after the desire to obtain results, propose very high indications, easily give themselves permission to achieve, and rejoice over the obtained result. The percentage of success of schools’ baccalaureate always exceeds 90%. Some reach up to 100%. But the actual quality of winners is not in that manner, what is revealed in the entrance competitive examination to the University : 86% are below the passing mark. It is a result sprung from parrot-learning that prevails in most schools of all levels. Students have also learned this method in normal schools. In turn, they continue to apply this method to their students, repeating exactly what they have studied at school by requiring children to study by heart without understanding. Students do not know thus the manner to learn and ignore the responsibility of their studies. The subjects of control duties during the year and baccalaureate still adopt this orientation. So is there anything astonishing in the prodigious results of final examinations of secondary school.

So far are these different levels of apprenticeship raised by Philippe Meirieu : « There would have first a phase of identification supported on sensory capacities, in the course of which the subject would implement perceptive activities supported on sensory capacities, followed by a phase focusing on the signification in which the subject would integrate the novelty in perceiving his interest, practice that may make or sense that it may give him and afterwards a phase of utilization where the subject reinvest the knowledge, use for personal purposes, brief in mastering at length the practice and truly possess. The knowledge then devotailed in this manner : I must first know that the hammer is in the workshop, I must then know what serves the hammer to be able to do, finally, use this tool »[7].

This is why, at the entrance competitive examination to the University, when the written tests aim comprehension and reasoning, creativity, the majority of candidates lose feet. Such a result obtained during several consecutive years, does not have any other reason than the method of teaching and apprenticeship, and organization of competitions and examinations in secondary school, unsuitable. Whose responsibility? It is placed again at the same time on teachers unconscious of their role as educators and students who do not learn. The role of the educator is to « "create and develop" the competences identified by function of their social utility » [8]. The master must seek to learn, furnish specific tools… : « it is important that it be worked by this feeling of dispossession which constantly challenges the position of progenitor ; it is good, in many respects, that he says only "raiser", and suppose that, such things are born by him, they are not born with him. It is good that, seeking to teach, it may uncover, and thus avoid the force of transmission »[9]. On the other hand, masters and students run in emulation of the result. The criterions for evaluation of students’ studies still remain very vague and do not manifest their true quality. Likewise, the appreciation of a teacher by the part of school directorship varies in function of repeaters in its class. A teacher is considered as good professor, if his class does not have any repeating at the end of the school year.

c) Violence in school

« School violence does not explode but becomes common »[10]. As distinguished by Bernard GORGE, aggressions of quotidian life, degradations of effects, and small object thefts augment a great deal in France. We can say the same thing concerning Vietnam. Our community "guards" 70 pensioners most of whom are provincial. They attend schools in the neighborhood outside of our community. Petty thefts are often unable to locate them. Moreover, victims do not tell officials or supervisors how the vengeance is rarely and fearfully. Some easily use shirts, old shoes of their comrades, without any remorse and without any concept to request permission. At school the gang leaders rob little children. At the demand of anything, the little child rapidly offer it to him. He does not dare to report it to school teachers nor to his guardians.

In contrast, the most serious violences are less frequent. Last year, two young girls of the senior year class were killed out of jealousy by Thailand stabbing. The utilization of weapons or aggression at professors does not or weakly progress.

It is not rare for professors to be struck by the students. Nowadays, the situations are reversed : It is no longer "student mistreated", but "professor mistreated". « The various tragic cases and spectacular stories that thereof make some media exacerbated the sensitivity of public opinion with juvenile delinquency. In that manner, last Friday, the big brother of a student at Alčs (Gard) college invaded into a classroom, before unmercifully beating the French professor. Monday, it is a student of Saint Etienne who was stabbed in the open courtyard of Saint Louis high school. Extremely serious events but that have the tendency to truncate the representation of violence in school. » [11]

And Vietnam. The high school courtyard of a province in central Vietnam became a court of justice to judge a first student for hitting a supervisor in the examination room.

Hundreds of people present at this trial were agitated over the full consciousness of the defense means of the accused before the court of justice.

 - What draw your attention first in coming in a school, in a class ? – The maxim : "the politeness at first, literature after."

- How do you understand this utterance of a Chinese sage "nhat tu vi su, ban tu vi su" ? - I understand that when someone teach me a letter, he is my master. But while I only learn a half-letter from him, he is also my master.

- One of the traditions of our people that everybody take consciousness, you know and understand it ? – It’s the tradition : venerate the master and respect the moral principle.

- Good ! Across the ages, Vietnamese summarize the principle of relations in society in three words. You know them ? - Yes, it is these three words : king, master, father. A country necessitates a king. Parents give us a body, but without the master, we can not become man.

- Very good ! You have understood all ! And why did you struck your master? – That was unconscious !

The court of justice sentenced that student to 18 months in close prison, a student that we can consider as intelligent, in view of his pertinent answers and has interpreted his violence by "unconsciousness". This action called "unconscious" is translated through the following action of indictment : A blow of fist to the face of the supervisor when this one accuses him of having "copied" his assignment several times. He then struck him a blow of chair. When other professors come to dissuade him, he threatened to burn the house of the supervisor ...

How to escape from the condemnation before evidences so overwhelming ? But one thought must be asserted to parents, professors, all the people present at this trial, concerning the contradictory demeanor of this 17 year old adolescent. He knows by heart all that they have taught him : the politeness, veneration for the master, morality... and yet he strikes.

Do all that he has studied in school, all that he has read in books with respect to morality, no longer have reason to be neither in his life nor in his connections with others ? Has the tradition of "venerate the master and respect the moral principle" bequeathed for thousand of years became obsolete along with time ?

Likewise, an event happened unexpectedly on May 8, 2004 in high school Hac Dich, Tan Thanh district, province of Ba-Ria-Vung Tau (South Vietnam). Five students from this school have struck a professor until the moment when he fell into syncope, just because they got a bad grade[12]. Another student in the class of fourth year of Tran Quoc Toan school, Phan Ri district, Binh Thuan province (South Vietnam) rushed into the classroom, swooped on professor Le Hai Xuan  who was in the act of giving his series of lectures et has rapidly dealt him a blow of truncheon on the head, also just because he got a bad grade...  Another case happened in a school of Cu chi district, Ho Chi Minh city. Dung and Tung, students of third year, quarreled during recess and Dung slapped Tung in the face twice. Immediately, Tung returned to his house to call for help.  His parents came right away and struck Dung in the same courtyard of the school until the moment when he fell into syncope as well, under the eyes of supervisors and teachers without any intervention on their part. The culprits are arrested and judged evidently. The consequences of actions disturbing public order and causing injuries worsen according to Vietnamese laws, mainly when they directly affect students and in the same courtyard of the school. No teacher or representative of the school is present at trial although they are invited. The court of justice made this remark : « Being a teacher, he must protect his student even if he is at risk to die ». And for this incident, the board of adjudication recalled the lack of school security in leaving the entrance door open to anyone[13]

Where are the real causes : the erosion of family values or the devaluation of traditional social patterns ? A number of children and adults do not think. Knowledge is one thing. Put to practice is another stage that we do not necessarily surmount.

c) Where do all these gaps come from ?

According to a research [14] of NGUYEN QUOC THANH, all these gaps originated from "negative" styles of living, the slump of the higher staff of the administration, officials in general. Teachers do not escape any further from this phenomenon very much widespread in all domains. Mr. NGUYEN TUNG TRUC, School Director of the higher staff of the administration in Ho Chi Minh city affirmed that « the moral decline of the higher staff of the administration is very serious and urgent to rectify ».

The statistics manifest the authorities’ concern and the majority of the population, because this phenomenon directly influences the country’s future.

The group realizing the research conducted an inquiry in the opinion of 311 people : women : 74,3% ; men : 25,7%.

Categories of people

Percentage (%)

Under 30 years of age

11.3

From 30-40 years of age

35.4

From 41-50 years of age

32.5

Over 50 years of age

20.9

Higher staff of the administration

40.8

Civilian people

59.2

Service for the party

8.0

Government administrators

17.0

Economic administrators

15.1

Commercial service

22.5

Protector of law

4.2

Service of different societies

8.4

Retired officer

10.3

Other services

14.5

Level of moral declining of the higher staff of the administration, officials in general in Ho Chi Minh city :

Level of seriousness

Percentage of people surveyed

Very serious

18.0

Serious

36.3

Relatively serious

40.5

Negligible

5.1

 

10 first visible signs of "degeneration" of moral virtue among the 30 surveyed.

Visible Signs of trivialization

Percentage of people surveyed

Classification

 

Pillage

79.4

1

Abuse of authority

74.0

2

Accumulation of benefits

74.0

3

Waste of common goods

70.7

4

Bureaucracy

69.5

5

Sectarianism

58.2

6

Purchase of titles

56.9

7

"Umbrella"

55.3

8

By opportunities

55.0

9

Lack of responsibilities

54

10

In examining the result, 54% of people surveyed pointed out the seriousness of this phenomenon : « very serious », (18%) and « serious », 36.3%. With the current rush after money, that percentage will rise from day to day if we do not take efficacious ways to halt this epidemic.

The first ten visible signs of the decline of morality revealing the same concern are to point out. The rapid moral decline of higher staff of the administration and officials raised them to exceed the limit of morality and transgress the law.

« Pillage », this phenomenon occupies the foremost level according to surveys and manifests a part of the current social situation. « Nothing is done free of charge », ironically remarked by people. There always exists this under-the-table that the Vietnamese people call "first step",[15] which is rather widespread in several domains and levels. Upon arrival at the Tan Son Nhat airport (Saigon), many foreign people of Vietnamese origin corrupt higher staff of the administration in insinuating 5 or 10 USD to pass quickly, without being meticulously checked. The visible and without disguise under-the-table that I have never seen could be at the frontier of Vietnam and Cambodia. To abstain from laboriously queuing, we give to an intermediary 5 American dollars to complete all formalities for entry into Cambodia. And we have only to remain in the cafeteria to await the result.

Recently, after the final examination of the first semester of the 2004-2005 school year, I made a proceeding to help an 8th grade student to change school. The Vice Director proposed a price of 200 USD which is inaccessible to that poor family. From the demand of under-the-table for these little things, readers are able to deduce that it is for transactions at the superior level. To retrieve a house "borrowed" by the authorities for example, the proposed price is staggering. This is the case of our house in Cap Saint Jacques (South Vietnam), in a property of 13 000 m˛. The authorities have "borrowed" it, house and property, since 1978 for the « common service », always using the formula because the country "still remains in difficulty" to often confiscate anything. Since 1996, the Institute began to take the step to recover all these properties. Without response, we have submitted once again the same records a year later. In 1998, the construction of a 3-storey hotel began by the SEA FOODS Company which was finished in 2000. In the beginning of 2004, I resubmitted the records myself in making contact at first with a person of the party. After reviewing the record, he replied yes and proposed a price to me : half the value of the property !

In reality, the moral decline of the higher staff of the administration has a reason both objective and subjective. Objective reason : on one part, the living of the majority of these people, came from North Vietnam, was hard, poor, and difficult. They accustomed themselves little by little to the gifts offered which are irresistible to them. The needs multiply. A signature, a simple intermediate role brings back a benefit equal to a salary of one year or even more. It is not easy to resist. On the other part, the administration system is lax but bureaucratic, complicated, and lack of control. The officials in that manner profit from the interstices of the law to hinder people. I take the liberty to give all these details in the ethnographic logic which affirm that the simple collection of data can provide meanings. The social thought apparently can only be built with the help of most insignificant data : If sometimes in my work that may give the impression of a descriptive loss, that also allows to understand the complexity of reality that is not reduced to great general ideas.

If I recapture the series of my discourse, subjective reason : Sincerely speaking, the level of knowledge of officials is very low, revealing the false knowledge of society, clinging to his function to nibble. « Serve the people », « diligence, economy, integrity, and justice », « all to the common ownership and nothing to the personal interest », of maxims of this sort appear little realistic to them and meaningless although they dominate in all offices. 79.4% of the people surveyed acknowledge.

Paradoxically, to the  higher staff of the administration, to the officials who transgress the law, who lead a living sometimes little edifying are rich people who do not miss out anything. But avidity always remains without limit. That shows that the problem of wages is necessary but is not primordial. An honest taxi driver always return to his client the wallet forgotten in his vehicle. Likewise, an official does not do what is contrary to his conscience.

Playing with figures

The « results » (the phenomenon of exaggeration of the result obtained) nowadays become something very normal or more exactly very important and widespread not only in cities but already appeared in the provinces of Vietnam. The implements and methods and ways to achieve « results » could be summarized in the expression : « playing with figures ». This indicates that the qualitative approaches so frequently disputed frequently give as much truthfulness as the figures dealt here !

First it is necessary and sufficient to address the « result » in education, because his misdeeds are deceitful. With a published figure, it can not delude parents nor investors namely the adults of today. On the other hand, it is hurtful to the young people who no longer believe in honesty of adults and who would later turn to their feat, into the magnets of « results ». Here are some figures that illustrate this consideration : According to reports from 50 provinces and cities, the summary data on the success of baccalaureate reaches even to 94.71%, among which, 13 provinces and cities exceed this limit. Quote among others : Nam Dinh 99.87%, Quang Ninh 99.5%, Thanh Hoa 99.2%, Hai Phong 99.6%, Ha Tay 97.7%. These provinces and cities are all situated in North Vietnam. As result of this success poses a big question mark on their frankness and honesty because it is difficult to imagine that the quality of schools in these provinces are better than the one of large cities. In particular, Ha Tay considered like a scapegoat is referred by the competent authorities during these months. The Department of Training and Education has sent an urgent official message requesting the Director of the Department of Training and Education of Ha Tay to re-examine, evaluate the organization of baccalaureate exams ; to make his self-criticism to specify clearly the responsibility of each division and individual in putting to light those or the one who transgressed the statutes of the examination to handle them under the laws of government. This message expressly mentions : « The Director of the Department of Training and Education of Ha Tay puts in execution immediately to re-create an examination jury to re-correct copies of the baccalaureate. In particular, this new examination jury must re-correct copies of the 3 other examination juries who manifest most transgressions of the statutes in the examination rooms, such as : The secondary schools Phu Xuyen A, Dong Quan, and Xuan Mai (private school) ». The result of the entrance competitive examination to the University this year reveals that there are 18 000 copies obtaining the zero mark ; about 15 000 others obtain 1/3 of the maximum mark ! What is the "true grade" of success figure of the baccalaureate given in the reports of the provinces ?  According to official reports, the provinces and cities that have obtained exacting criterions to open secondary schools reach the figure of 31 among which certain provinces are withdrawn in which live ethnical minorities who do not all speak fluent Vietnamese. And they still succeeded.

Recently, a survey of people on the subject of administration renewal certainly draws our attention. According to Mrs. Phuong Thao, President of Popular Committee of Ho Chi Minh city, several offices of this city have published a very high percentage of contentment concerning the manner to work in their offices : the Bureau of Traffic and Administration of Public Labor, 99% ; the Office of Workers and Veterans, 100% ; Agriculture and Development of the Countryside, 94,3%. And she raised a suspicion : « Is there anyone who believes in this "reality" » ? It is almost certain that if we conduct the survey by secret vote and that another office inspect the ballot, the result does not reach this percentage figure.

This is what we call « playing with figures ».

The rest of the former regime ?

After the fall of Saigon in 1975, all teachers who desired to continue their teaching profession, compulsorily had to participate in a training to be "good teacher" of the socialist regime. I always remember this affirmation from the lecturer in a question to a professor with the subject about reprimanding "bad students": « there are only good students in socialist school », affirmed the lecturer. Every dictatorial system is built on an idealization of the effects that he claims to lead.  And for several years that followed, the background of the society was always attributed to « the rest of the former regime ». The ambition or illusion of responsibilities pushed them to monopolize the education to form a generation of socialist men.

Pell-mell in the examination room

Since the year 2005, newspapers have tacked the subject of disorder inside the examination rooms and scuffle outside. During the entrance competitive examination at level 10 in the same way as during the baccalaureate examination this year 2006, this phenomenon seems to be accelerated (photo, p. 221). At Luong The Vinh school, for example, « a young man all of a sudden plunged into the examination room of mathematics and got hold of the subject of competitive examination without being stopped by the supervisors »[16]. But, during those months at the end of the year 2006, what often raised the discussions and is considered as "actual" in education, are the 4 episodes of a film shot by a teacher in the middle of the examination at school Nam Dan 2, province of Nghe An (north central Vietnam). These 4 episodes entitled « Inside The Examination Room », « Launching Copies », « History », « Foreign Language », are posted on the Internet site « edu.net.vn » with « nickname » edu2. They were released only 3 months after the baccalaureate examinations out of fear of vengeance. This film was shot with the help of a portable telephone with images very precise and clear. Those who consider them startling by seeing the first images of the 1st episode « Inside of The Examination Room » : The supervisors go out on the veranda to chat while inside the room, the candidates move freely, pull away copies of their neighbors, turn the back to copy. The episode « launching copies » is even more shocking. I propound based on the press suppression relating these facts.   In court, people come and go tumultuously. About ten people cling to the window of the examination room or circulate in the veranda like at home. Some adults wearing a soldier hat, mount directly to the 2nd floor, one of them fling inside the paper while the others, for greater sureness enter into the room to depose the message. The film even shows these images that attract our attention. A policeman in uniform mounts to 2nd floor, where there still are « visitors not invited ». He slipped among those people with an attitude really quiet as if they were in their normal places while others enter and leave the room like at home. When the policeman turns back, the man who wears the soldier hat pretends to step aside. But when the policeman goes down to the first floor, he again enters into the examination room ...[17]

After the publication of images of the disorderly days at the center of examination Nam Dan 2, the inspectors of the Department of Training and Education of the Province of Nghe An asked 75 supervisors of this center to make a detailed report. The majority of them justified their indiscipline on the pretext that they suffer too much pressure : « The supervisors did not want the severity through fear brutality of the part of candidates’ parents. And this has already happened in the past ». Mr. TRI, President of the center, said that « Everything happened normally » ! during the competitive examination of geography while during the one of mathematics, he confirms the existence of disorderly and that he had the intention to seek order to stop the examination. But the batteries of his telephones were dry !

Another incident at the same time rare and very striking occured during the examination days was discovered also in the heart of the office of the Ministry of Education and refers to a person of this office. It is worthwhile to publish it because this incident happened two steps from the office of the Minister of Education !

Cheating well orchestrated.

122 candidates participated in the recruitment competitive examination of civil servants in the year 2006 of the Ministry of Education, competitive examination consisting of three materials : national administration, data processing, and foreign language. 44 candidates out of 122 should be hired. The language examination took place on the first day : September 11, 2006. Ms. Hoa (the higher staff of secretariat of Popular Committee of Thai Binh province, North Vietnam, candidate for the office of emulation) and Mr. Viet (the higher staff of Office of Education of Thai Binh, candidate for the Project of finance), both request permission to go to the toilets. But, Mr. Hoang Gia Khiem, Vice Minister of Education, by chance discovered the presence of both, in the office of Mrs. Dao Thi Binh, chief of general office, belonging to the office of the Ministry. Mrs. Binh is the sister of the candidate Hoa. We even discovered another person in the office of Mrs. Binh who does not work at the Ministry of Education. These two candidates undergo on the spot a verbal process for having transgressed the statutes of examination, in the very same office of Mrs. Binh and then returned to their room to continue their examination. Interrogated about the presence of an unknown person in the office along with the presence of the two candidates, Mrs. Binh explained that this is only a "fortuitous encounter". It’s a person known to Thai Binh who came by chance. But according to the investigations by journalists of Tuoi Tre, the lady was in the act of doing an exchange with the 2 candidates, is actually Mrs. B.T.H., an English teacher.

93.78% of candidates have succeeded in baccalaureate [18]

According to the news from the Office of Examination and Standardization of Quality of Education, the number of students across the country who have succeeded in baccalaureate is 862 932 of 881 795 candidates, that to say 93,78%. The percentage in 2005 is 90.62%. This year, the provincial of Nam Dinh is the highest : 99. 87%. The provinces which occupy a place among the best are the northern provinces : Bac Ninh : 99.41%, Ha Tay : 99.32%. Thai Binh : 99.32%, Hai Phong : 99. 18% ; Ha Nam 90% while the two large cities of Hanoi and Saigon occupy a more humble place : Hanoi : 98.64% and Saigon : 96.04%. Soc Trang (south of Vietnam) possess the lowest percentage : 73.87%.

Some figures published in the Journal « LAO DONG » (Labor) on October 3, 2007, manifest a « virtual » progress of the country’s cultural level : the number of students in the year 2007 rised to 1 540 201, that is to say out of 10 000 inhabitants of the country, 181 have been able to continue their university studies, a very high percentage compared to other countries ;  in China for example, there are only 140 students/10 000 inhabitants while the percentage of the world is on average 100 students per 10 000 inhabitants.  He foresees that from now to year 2020 there would be 600 universities, double of the current situation : each district across the country will then have a university !  This year the government foresees expenditure for education : 4000 billions of Vietnamese dong (250 millions of American dollars). However, according to specialists, it should be 4 times more : a billion dollars. It is an investment rather high for Vietnamese education, but according to the official examinations of 58 related countries, published in this same Journal, the quality of Training in Vietnam  is classified in 53rd place. And there are only 37% of students who find work. Concretely, in the year 2007, 161 411 students have finished their university studies. A little calculation of 63% of graduating students who do not find work manifests a waste of that investment in education : 161 411 students x 63% x 4500 USD/student = approximately 4 millions 576 dollars. It is clear that the Vietnamese educational system does not yet meet the needs of the country and that the people run around of this vicious circle : poverty and waste. The training not applied in life is at the same time a waste of money, health, and time.

Approximately 70 supervisors make the report

The Department of Education and Training in the province of My Tho gives order to the team of inspectors to clarify the phenomenon of « 536 candidates having the similar copies » and affirms that it is a serious transgression which must be resolved until the root without any exception. In the case where we discover this transgression very serious, send it on to the Office of Investigations to resolve it by law. It is clear that this transgression was prepared in advance because all copies of candidates of 23 examination rooms are wonderfully identical. That’s more than sure there is someone who introduced the documents outside....

It is because of this that 70 supervisors had to prepare the report of discipline during the examination days.

***

Since last year, newspapers have reported striking phenomenons in the examination rooms. But this year, it seems that this increases and that we have invented transgressions much more advanced. In the old days, we did not think that we have to "buy" to become an excellent student, or to obtain an extremely high score in examination to enter into specialized schools or in classes wherein only gather good students !

This phenomenon of "grease the foot" to enter in such a school becomes « something very normal » and what is even more astonishing in seeing students at average level, if not very low, but succeeded in the entrance competitive examination in schools called "specialized". Some newspapers have published several times this phenomenon of « Class mistaken », expressing the number of students whose educational level is intended to inferior class.

Perhaps no one among us agree to say that cheating in the examination room is a good action. However, one wonders why a large number of students consider this act as normal ? Why examinations become day by day like a farce where the subjects are well qualified, « in the program » and that the examination rooms resemble markets, that we seek all means to authenticate the « artificial level » by public cheatings. In any case, students are only victims. When cheating and lie are even developed at the heart of the school, how to prevent them from exploding into society ? If the school can not solve all social dysfunctions, it may on the other hand prepare people to face them or to avoid them. An unjust school would make people little worried about the sense of justice.

How will the competent authorities judge this "negative act" or will they ignore ? The slogan "say no to negative acts in an examination" is published everywhere, and this incident even happened unexpectedly at the heart of the Ministry of Education and two steps from the office of Minister. What a paradox ! This may be a normal thing that nevertheless worthwhile for us to think. What does this make us think ? It is good of course that numerous people of higher staff of the administration are ready to contend against "negative acts in the examination" but quite a lot of others also are ready to "live together with the negative". When the lying and cheating in society are considered as normal things, the expression "speak without realizing" also becomes an insignificant and "normal thing". This event reminds officials that if they do not seek to resolve radically and with firmness the "negative" – That is to say to start from the actual higher staff of the administration - the slogan "Say no to negative acts in the examination" does not reach its goal.[19]

What do we do head-on this epidemic of « results » as well as these gaps in education ? Delegate Nguyen Duc Dung (Kontum) replied frankly : « We must now face the truth, evaluate it, and seek an efficacious solution to restore the educational system of our country », without giving an adequate measure or suggestions to stop or diminish or resolve this problem. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tai, Vice President of Popular Committee of Ho Chi Minh city has stated his own opinions before the Assembly that took place in Ho Chi Minh city on June 26, 2007 : « We must dare to face the truth to develop ».

A duration of thirty years is sufficient to see if it succeeded or failed in what the communists call "establish a terrestrial paradise".

4. A few suggestions

Equality in apprenticeship

I first address the field of school books, which is rather ordinary and poses a problem for parents of average living condition. Send the child to school is already a great difficulty for poor families. Every year we must buy new school books, It is another much more substantial concern. Even in developed countries, students are able to borrow them without being compulsory to purchase them, as in this country. How can we encourage the children of poor families to attend school? On the other hand, school books have been constantly renovated. In a family, books already used by the grown-up can not be left for usage by the young one. This is considered as a waste.

Then, contributions and multiple expenditures aggravate the burden of parents at each entrance of the new school year : uniform, school supplies… Besides, compulsory contributions for the construction of a classroom or to equip a computer room or a laboratory are considered as the duties of parents. As a rule, the primary classes are gratuitous. In principle, such contributions are reflected and devised at the beginning of the end of the school year. Ultimately, parents must pay monthly a sum of money higher than the school charges properly disclosed.

The recruitment of students at the beginning of the year seems even less optimistic. First, for those who desire to register in a public school, their name must appear in the family booklet of their district. For a few years, parents having an easy living send their children to Saigon to continue the primary or secondary studies. The whole expenditures easily amount to a hundred dollars per month. Find a school of good quality is truly a defiance for those who come from the provinces, even among the semi-public schools. However, with "Uncle HO"[20] difficult problems will be resolved effectively, all doors will open. And it is very common in Vietnam, in several domains, if one desires to see his dream fulfilled.

We can not obtain and we do not request perfect justice. But how could the poor access to studies while the competent authorities oblige parents to bring their children at school age to school, mostly those who live secluded in distant villages ?

Do not tolerate cheating in schools

Tolerate cheating, dishonesty in schools, will lead to catastrophic consequences. They occupy a very important place in society and in schools. With time and especially with the acceptance of others, we do not notice this perversion and we no longer feel any remorse after the fact. Mostly we consider them as a victory while we trivialize one of the human values or transgressions of the law. With students cheat in examinations ; teachers, members of the high staff of the administration of education present false reports ; cupidity spreads extensively in society. A jar of wine puts all in order. As our ancestors have said : with money, they can even buy fairies ! How can education give good results in a such situation ? A former teacher, before 1975, returned to Vietnam after a long absence and has been invited to observe the discipline of a class during the examination. She expressed her surprise to seeing the cheating opened without any intervention from the supervisors. The trivialization of human values, the concept « anything is not important, everything is normal » of the teachers aggravate this observation « Scale of values is reversed. Money is primordial. Human values, passed ». [21]

An entrance competitive examination organized by 125 colleges across the country took place from July 14 to 16 of this year 2007. Looking at its results and that of the last competitive examination at the university, people breathe a sigh of relief by « its scale of serious organization and quality of subjects »[22] . The severe sanction of the transgression of 392 students and 64 supervisors[23] shows that the branch of education has determined to extirpate cheating until the root although this number only equals to a third of the one of last year. But in spite of everything, the 392 students and 64 supervisors who do not even respect the statutes in the examination room should make us think about their sense of duty, responsibility, and honesty also.

In that manner, one of the necessary conditions to re-establish social justice, construct a rich and civilized country, is to eliminate until the root the cheating and habits of implicitly demand a bribe. For the future of the country, the school must well educate honesty to children. Without honesty, we lose everything. How can an adult live honestly when he acquired a habit of cheating from his childhood ?

The response from 578 of 620 undergraduates and high school students surveyed[24] in the month of september 2007 on cheating illustrates well this situation in school that is for the most part considered as a normal thing. Likewise, a large number of studies is astonished by the content of this test  by saying : « We have heard rarely talk in school », which shows a serious negligence of education concerning honesty  in the school establishments. To the question « burn the red light ? », there are 365/578 positive responses, and 365/578 responses than to « go in inverse way ». And so on and so forth. Nevertheless, the response to question 11 « would you say this percentage (of cheating) as it is » is more striking :  not very important, 49 yes ; similar to the one of other establishments, 163 yes ; important, 197 yes ; too important, 93 yes. There is only 34% (197/578 yes) students who perceive the importance of cheating, not to say that there is only 16% (93/578 yes) that affirm its extreme importance. During these days, all Vietnam is upset by the collapse of Can Tho bridge (South Vietnam) during construction : 52 dead and 86 wounded. The investigations are not yet finished to be able to indict the guilty person (or people). But ultimately, it will always be the dishonesty (or cheating) considered « normal » in the construction that counts.

Take good care of the teachers

Head-on this situation of education, the competent authorities, should we say,  play an important role to ameliorate and vanquish indolence. I think of the status of teachers. Why ? Because the decisive quality of education depends finally on teaching profession. It is useless to talk about the renovation of education if one leaves aside the competence of teachers, conscientious professors. But, to require them to work conscientiously, to stimulate them to devote themselves entirely and dynamically to their profession of training people, to have a creative spirit in teaching, the more urgent renovation belongs to competent authorities. In any company, small or large, the official statutes concerning salary, "rewards" habitually remain estimated. « Feel underpaid, feel being paid less than the one whom we compare, induces the more important consequences on the identities than the simple fact of lack of money ».[25]

Most of the "corruptions" in education take root here. The low salary actually received each month can not suffice to the essential needs of the family. The teachers are therefore obligated to look for money elsewhere : private courses ! Life becomes easier. The family budget expands because those who procure the trouble to work a little more receive quadruple in comparison to the official salary. Occur unexpectedly parallel with "negative" behaviors on the part of teachers : neglect their teaching duties, lose their creative spirit and devotion, remain indifferent to the comprehension of students in class, implicitly seek to obligate children to attend private courses given by themselves. This phenomenon rapidly spreads to middle school then to lower secondary school and so on and so forth for several years. Today, even a large number of children in kindergarten also join private courses ! For students in primary and nursery classes, teachers practice this supplementary work at home, which became like a vogue.

As the treatment brought by these courses enormously exceeds the official salary, this enticement seduce a large number of teachers that they can not resist. Yet some competent teachers move from one place to another just to give private courses. They joke saying : "I pray that there are more hours in a day". The wealth makes them smiled and that, after a very short period of time.

Moreover, in a certain point of view, the relationship between parents and teachers is very coherent. Thanks to this, parents can closely monitor the progress of their children. They take more and more consciousness of their necessary collaboration in the education of their children by keeping a permanent contact with the school and above all with their titular teacher. Meeting of parents at the beginning and at the end of the year require their presence. During the year, they do not refuse the convocations of the professor. What is not encouraging, is that at each convocation the parents always glide them an "envelope". Sometimes, the reason to call a convocation is very simple, its matter does not have any significance. But parents do not dare to miss it even if they live far away, in the provinces.

Nowadays, thanks to the living condition more improved in the provinces, some parents send their children to big cities to continue their studies. There are consequently more of the habitual displacements of agrarian populations to urban centers ; a displacement of undergraduates and students to urban etablishments. They therefore need places to stay. Rooms for rent, private boarding schools emerged. The communities of the Brothers also participate in this movement by receiving a certain number of young people to accompany them in the human and spiritual purview, for Catholics. My community, for example arranged to receive sixty boarders from sixth grade to senior year. In reality, it is an opportunity  available to the Brothers, in this difficult situation, to attempt to intergrate in the field of education and also to earn their living. The Brothers assume the responsibility to monitor the studies of their boarders, they remain in contact with the teachers of the school that these children attend. Some professors always maintain good communication with them. Some others do not deign to inform them of anything but telephone directly to parents, because the Brothers only aim the training and progress of children.

Parallel to this "negative" side, some admirable teachers never refuse to dedicate their free time to gratuitously help students who are both slow and poor, to reach the level of their schoolmates, to offer them "ways to advance" according to Antoine de la Garanderie. They do not ask them any payment in return. Some offer themselves for service to unprovided children, children of the street, children affected by AIDS sometimes leaving their family environment and their hometown to come to the high plateaus or in secluded villages, far from all accommodations of modern civilization. But, there is always a price to pay for those who dare to embark in this very troublesome and sometimes even ungrateful area. What will they receive in return ? The smile of the poor is their reward.


 

Ultimately, it must not only complain about the unwillingness of teachers : the vital needs have pushed them into this path in spite of themselves. The fault does not come from them completely. « Travail constitutes a trading value, which assigns a place to performers in symbolical bonds »[26]. What a distressing spectacle in learning that, to extend the family budget, look for something to feed his children or to buy them school supplies or to pay for their schooling, a professor, outside of school hours, must go to sell lottery tickets, sit at ground level along the sidewalk to sell a few bunches of water convolvulus, drive the rickshaw or the motorbike at the demand of customers until midnight ! Those ones desire to earn at least their living « honestly ».

But, it seems that the competent authorities do not sufficiently assure the minimum living conditions to their male and female collaborators. The concern of food and drink, all expenses to pay at the beginning of the month, permanently reign over the family officials. How can they put all their spirit, their energy, and their strength into their travail whose salary can not cover them. The price to pay for this gap is therefore very high. The State and the people must spend a large sum of money to operate the education system but that only create a teaching and apprenticeship unsuitable whose consequences lead to an alienated and degraded education : they form a team of corrupted teachers who leave traces that will profoundly influence the future of the country. The pretty image of an educator, for quite a long time printed in people’s mind, fades day by day. The school is transformed into an environment of commerce only aiming benefit.

In reality, the salary of a number of teachers nowadays would be sufficient for an average living. Provide private classes is no longer an urgent need to live well. But, this new structure does not even encourage teachers to be conscious of their responsibility as educators, to fulfil their duty in a manner more efficacious, more creative and conscientious than previously during official school hours. This phenomenon of providing private courses already exists for years and becomes an ineffaceable wrinkle. It is consequently not easy to extirpate, even among those who have found a sufficiently comfortable life. But, anyway, the urgency always remains the need to re-examine the status of income and the manner to retain competent and conscientious teachers in the way that they no longer continually concern with their vital needs. Thus, they will have difficulty to fulfil their duties in raising their creative spirit to always renew their methods conformable with global evolution because « salary "indicates" accordingly, through intermediary of contract, values that others grant us »[27] and that for them « travail, the source of valorization of people, is also a factor of identity and differentiation with others »[28]. Thus, all apprenticeship sufficiently continues during official school hours. Teachers no longer need to give private courses to complete what is no longer, voluntarily or involuntarily, taught. Students no longer overpay school expenses that overload the burden already heavy to poor families.

It is true that the requirement of competence of teachers is correct especially when the country is busy facing with global integration. But as the society does not deal seriously with these ones : sufficient living, adequate working conditions, it nevertheless aims a very high goal to reach the interest of the teachers. However, examining only the revenue side, the teachers belong to the lowest category of society. Thus, parallel to the requirement of their competence, the government and society must consider and assure that of their vital issue .

Is the suppression of private courses possible ?

Renovate the curriculum of teaching and examinations is the priority project that has directed the Minister of Education of Thailand, Adisai Bodharamik, three months after the award of powers in 2003. It was supported and welcomed with joy by the parents and students across the country. Mr. Adisai has systematically forbidden to give and attend private courses because in his opinion, "it’s a waste of time and that aggravates stress among students".

At the 3rd session of the Eleventh National Congress in May 2004, several delegates challenged the Minister of Education and Training NGUYEN MINH HIEN on the problem of "private courses" very much widespread from primary to secondary. According to the Minister, in the report of this Congress concerning the results of achievements of the "promises" of ministries and departments, the Ministry of Education has scarcely enforce some activities to overcome this phenomenon and promised to "conduct a profound study on the opinions of delegates to find a possible solution in order to radically rectify this negative situation to give and attend private courses".

Five months later, at the 4th session, the Minister of Education has faced the same interpellation : "When will the phenomenon of private courses cease ?", which expresses that his previous promise was only a promise ! But this time, the Minister no longer promises and slowly repeats the response that he has given to the whole Assembly : "It is very difficult for us. We will not dare to give a response when the phenomenon of private courses will be stopped ". The response has startled almost 500 delegates in the meeting room and despaired millions of people across the country watching the broadcasting live on television.

The Minister does not dare to give the response. Who would dare ? Immediately after this event, it is always our Minister who recognizes this reality : "There are cases where teachers force children to attend private courses to collect money. There are also teachers who, voluntarily, do not finish the program to complete it afterwards during private courses, which provides work sets so that only students who appear at his private courses, can effectively solve them and thus obtain a good score."

A rather striking event is widespread this year concerning the entrance competitive examination at level 10 in 2006-2007 (second class) of the «exclusive school»[29] Nguyen Du in Dak-lak on the High plateaus. The Department of Training and Education of Dak lak has annuled 400 copies of Chemistry on the grounds that these students had obtained a very bad score because the subject was very difficult and that teachers of this school had presented this request. However there are two students who have obtained a very good score, which created disturbances among parents. After quick investigations, they discovered that these children had attended private courses given by Mr. Nguyen Tri who is a member of the committee that prepares the subjects of writing tests. 

Likewise, the Industrial University organized the entrance competitive examination to the superior school on July 25, 2006. But on the eve of this day, July 24, 3 undergraduates of this university went to the office of the Journal THANH NIEN (Youth) presenting the subject solution on the examination the next day. It is, Mr. Thien who started this message : « "those who desire to redo their work set, come to pay 3 USD (50 000 VN dong) to receive the exact solution and the rewrite in their examination sheet ". This year those who paid 3 USD, obtained the average. And the score varied according to the amount of money paid »[30].

In Ha noi as in Ho Chi Minh city, several classes of private courses attain a number of 300-400 students, established in very bad conditions. The Minister of Education has publicly informed the General Assembly, but ultimately, peacefully gave his opinion : "It is a very difficult problem".

***

The fact of 64 supervisors transgressing the status of the examination shows us the weakness and the need to raise the quality of the contingent of teachers for the development  of the country in this actual situation. Teaching is a profession and one of the 3 most difficult professions according to Durkheim. The problem is not easy to solve. It necessitates a serious study to recognize these gaps, especially in the training of teachers. At the10th Congress on November 25, 2006, the Minister of Education Nguyen Thien Nhan raised before  the General Assembly these 9 points the most « hot » concerning education today, which creates a sense both anxious and pressing  to participants. There are diseases : « results » and « negative » acts (or cheating) in the examinations, very widespread utilization of false diplomas, renewal of the general program of education and changing of school textbook, way to edit and diffuse the school textbook, furnish teaching equipment, spread and quality  of training and, research travail for undergraduates. In reality, several decisions by the officials were taken. But the negative situation does not improve much, for example, the decision to end the phenomenon of « make a mistake over the grade » [31] , give private courses in a « negative » way... The « negative » case published in newspapers concerning teachers during these recent years influence  little or prove the quality to train people and manifest more or less the moral degradation of higher staff of the administration. During a forum at the General Assembly, the Minister of Education frankly gave his opinions : A few ( ?) teachers do not have conscience of their responsibility, do not give a good example, transgress the interdict of morality, style of living, and standards of educator[32].  The fundamental issue for the renovation in education depending on several factors evidently, begin however by its source : a serious training, an increase of morality of the educators’ team. Thus, the minister of education anticipates to establish the code of teaching aiming mainly professional and moral standards by prescribing more clearly the rights, duties, responsibilities of the educator. We hope that with this official code, the teacher will be more conscious of their responsibilities of professional training and style of living in accordance with the standards of an educator.

 

 

[1] Emile DURKHEIM, Education and Sociology, QUADRIGE/PUF, 9th edition, Paris, 2005, p.51.

[2] Ibid., p. 52

[3] Raymond BOUDON, dictionary of Sociology, Larousse, 2003, p.77.

[4] A movement to attend private courses is very widespread and becomes a mode in the world of education in Vietnam. All students register to private courses given by their professor. And, what is worse, it will be only those who obtain a good grade. That is the reason why, willy nilly, parents seek all financial means to satisfy their children by sending them to private courses. Even the good and intelligent students who never feel the need to register it through fear to obtain a bad grade.

[5] NGUYEN KHOI, GIAO DUC Journal. Special holiday number published in 2004.

[6] THANH HA,  TUOI TRE Journal, November 22, 2004.

[7] Philippe MEIRIEU,  Learn…yes, but how ?, Paris, ESF Publisher, 1995, p. 54.

[8] Ibid., p.37

[9] Philippe MEIRIEU,  Learn…yes, but how ?, Paris, ESF Publisher 1995, p. 35.

[10] Bernard GORCE, Ordinary violence in secondary, La Croix, Paris, March 22, 2005.

[11] Ibid.

[12] See also www.nguoiviet.com., May 13, 2004

[13] Ibid.

[14] QUOC THANH, Tuoi Tre Chua Nhat, p. 4 and seq.

[15] In Vietnamese : Thu tuc dâu tien = tien dau ? means : where is the money ?

[16] Ibid, No 177, June 26, 2006

[17] See Journal THANH NIEN (Youth), No 247, September 4, 2006.

[18] See also Journal THANH NIEN (Youth), Friday, June 23, 2006

[19] See also Journal TUOI TRE, No 240, Saturday June 19, 2006.

[20] "Uncle HO" means Vietnamese money because the image of Ho Chi Minh is printed on all notes DONG. Whence that expression.

[21] Appendices, page 10, line 293.

[22] Journal "Giao Duc" (Education), July 16, 2007.

[23] Ibid.

[24] Appendix, p. 74-79

[25] Patrick TAPERNOUX, Transversality, The ISP, January-march 2004, p. 23.

[26] Ibid..

[27] Ibid.

[28] Ibid.

[29] "School exclusive", school where the better students attend.

[30] See also Journal THANH NIEN (Youth) No 207, Wednesday July 26, 2006.

[31] The expression « make a mistake over the grade » means the phenomenon of students in a such class without the level of sufficient knowledge.

[32] See also:  Journal "Giao duc" (Education), Mau chot de chan hung giao duc (The crucial point to renovate education), Monday July 16, 2007.