VietNamNet Bridge - As anticipated, soon after the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) removed the floor mark scheme, some universities decided to admit students who got only an 11 score on three exam subjects.


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MOET has removed the floor mark scheme




The Mien Trung University of Civil Engineering (MUCE) on July 13 announced that students who got 11 for three exam subjects from the national high-school finals are eligible to apply for the school. One day later, the school raised the required floor mark to 12.

Some days later, the Hong Bang International University announced the floor mark of 12 for 29 out of its 31 training majors, including healthcare majors.

Rector of the FPT University Le Truong Tung commented that the floor marks that schools set are ‘terribly low’. Twelve scores for three exam subjects means that students just need to get a four score for each subject.

“In Vietnam’s tertiary education history, the required floor mark was never so low before,” Tung commented.

From 2018, MOET removed the national floor mark scheme for all training majors, except teaching. Some days ago, the ministry decided that students with less than 17 exam scores won’t be able to enter pedagogical schools this year. 

From 2018, MOET removed the national floor mark scheme for all training majors, except teaching. Some days ago, the ministry decided that students with less than 17 exam scores won’t be able to enter pedagogical schools this year. 
However, according to Tung, the floor mark should be set for medical schools as well, because healthcare is a difficult major which requires ‘elite’ students.

A university lecturer in Hanoi said the problem is foreseeable. “They want to enroll more students, and lowering the floor marks is the best way to reach that goal,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Kim Phung, director of the Higher Education Department, affirmed that MOET will take measures to ensure the quality of students. The schools which set low floor marks will be inspected by MOET.

Phung explained that MOET needs to keep tight control over the quality of students because this is an important factor that determines training quality. 

Commenting about Phung’s statement, Le Viet Khuyen from the Vietnam Association of Universities and Junior Colleges, said the ministry’s idea of taking inspection tours to schools is ‘unclear’.

“In principle, if schools can satisfy the requirements set by MOET, they will have the right to enroll students,” he said.

While some education experts have raised concern about the low quality of students caused by the removal of the national floor mark scheme, other experts advocate MOET’s move.

Nguyen Duc Nghia, deputy director of the HCMC National University, said it is necessary to respect the self-determination of schools. Schools must be given the right to decide whom they want to enroll.

The experts said students will turn their back on schools which have low training quality. If so, the schools won’t be able to enroll students.


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Thanh Mai