The latest report of the Ministry of Education and Training showed the sharp fall in number of students applying for studying at universities in 2019 compared with 2018, 2017 and the years before.

To date, 886,000 students had registered to attend the 2019 high-school final exam, and of these, 650,000 students will use the exam results to apply for university seats. This means that 279,001 students, or 27.8 percent, will take the exam only to obtain a diploma.

The proportions were 25.7 percent in 2018 and 25 percent in 2017.

Analysts commented that more students now tend to be indifferent to higher education as they have found that higher education is not the only way to succeed.

In addition, many students feel discouraged by reports about the high percentage of unemployed workers with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. It costs tens of millions of dong to study at university for four years, while the initial salary offered to new graduates is just an average of VND5 million, not enough to cover basic needs in large cities.

A high school teacher in Hanoi noted that the proportion of students refusing higher education increases when the unemployment rate of bachelor’s degree graduates rises

Cao Phuong Ha, CEO of Education First in Vietnam, commented that students in Vietnam, like the rest of the world, tend to be more practical when considering higher education opportunities. They now consider higher education an ‘option’ rather than the way they must follow.

Ha believes that the lower proportion of students not registering to attend entrance exams to universities should be seen as good news. This shows that students are choosing majors and schools based on their willingness and capability, rather than just following the crowd.

Bui Duc Trieu, head of the training division of the Hanoi Economics University, also thinks this is good news which shows the improvement in career guidance.

“Students and their parents are becoming more practical when choosing careers. More students have decided to go to vocational schools,” Trieu commented.

Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former director of the Professional Education Department, said the students going to vocational school after general education will succeed sooner in finding jobs.

However, he said if looking at the issue from another angle, the supply of highly qualified workers who can satisfy the requirements of the 4.0 era may be affected.

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Chi Nam