VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Huu Tien, who came first at the national entrance exams to the Hanoi Medical University, the most prestigious school in the training major, may go soldiering instead of going to school.

Tien felt happy when hearing about his great success at university entrance exams. He always dreams of learning well to earn much money to help the parents pay the family’s debts worth VND100 million. However, he may have to join the army before fulfilling the dream.

Tien said he has been requested to be present in the locality in case he receives the draft. He frankly said he doesn’t want to join the army at this moment and he prefers following the university education.

Under the newly promulgated Circular No. 13, in case a citizen receives the draft and the notice for school admission at the same time, he will have to join the army.

The “confession” by Tien that he doesn’t want to serve in the army has raised a controversy among the public.

Tran Tieu Chung, a VietNamNet’s reader, while highly appreciating Tien’s learning capability (he got 29.5/30 marks from the national university entrance exams), affirmed that Tien still must join the army if he is requested.

“By serving in the army, you can show your patriotism. You are a talent, and you need to have morality as well,” Chung wrote.

The reason Tien cited to explain his desire of studying at medical school instead of joining the army is that he wants to make much money after the graduation to help parents pay the big debts worth VND100 million.

Tien and his family members live in a 30 square meter dank house in Ung Hoa district in Hanoi. The only valuable asset in the house is an old color TV.

Dang Thi Vot, 82, the grandmother of Tien, told the reporters that his family members have been living in very poor conditions.

“They have just sold the cows for VND18 million to pay a part of debts and get money to fund their children’s studies,” she said.

Tien and his siblings all have good learning capability. His two sisters are the students of the Hanoi National University and the Hanoi Transport Junior College. Meanwhile, his twin brother has passed the exams to the Hanoi University of Technology, also a very prestigious school in Vietnam, with 26/30 marks.

A question has been raised that if it is really necessary to call up Tien, an excellent student, who can better devote himself to the fatherland if he becomes a good physician, right at this moment, when the country enjoys the peacetime. Meanwhile, there are many other young men in the locality who could be mobilized instead of Tien.

Le Ngoc Thanh, Chief Commander of the Phuong Tu Commune Military Command also said that in principle, the young men, who passed the university entrance exams, would be allowed to defer the army service and go to school immediately as they wish.

Thanh said that the source for mobilization is profuse and he is sure of finding enough soldiers as requested.

However, Tien still has been criticized by many people for his decision. “The obligations to the fatherland must be above all. You must not shirk it,” said Do Anh Tuan, a VietNamNet’s reader.

Van Chung