VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City Vice Mayor Hua Ngoc Thuan on July 5 asked the city’s education department to not go ahead with the new integrated English teaching curriculum.

One month ago, the city’s Education and Training Department unexpectedly announced that a new English teaching program, allegedly compiled with the cooperation of the UK Ministry of Education called “the integrated English teaching curriculum”, would be used at general schools in the city.

Several days later, the UK Consulate General in HCM City released an official statement, denying that it was involved in any cooperative effort.

Douglas Barnes, the Consul General of the UK, said that there had been no agreement between the UK Ministry of Education or the country’s examination council with the HCM City Education and Training Department or with EMG Education, a partner of the program, on providing curricula and documents.

EMG Education then showed documents that it said were proof to show cooperation between EMG Education and STA (Standards and Testing Agency of the UK).

The HCM City Education and Training Department also raised its voice reassuring the public and affirming the legitimacy of the cooperation program.

Nevertheless, the explanations by the department did not help restore the public’s confidence. Many parents said in local newspapers that the education department had been deceptive, and that they would not let their children to follow the controversial curriculum.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia, Deputy Director of the HCM City National University, commented that the city authorities did what they must do amid public pressure.

“A program can be started only when the legal procedures have been fulfilled,” he said, adding that the city’s education department made a mistake when it kicked off a new program even though it had not followed necessary formalities.

Nghia noted that the HCM City authorities’ official dispatch did not mention EMG Education, the education department’s partner. Thus, the HCM City Education and Training Department, as the state management agency, not EMG or CIE (Cambridge International Examinations), must come forward and settle the problems.

He went on to say that it is the education department which has to draw up programs, implement the programs and take responsibility for the implementation, instead of authorizing its partners.

Dr. Nguyen Thien Tong, former lecturer of the HCM City University of Technology, thinks that it is a reasonable decision to stop the integrated English teaching program because of two reasons: 1) the program has not been approved by the city people’s committee; and 2) a privately run company was assigned to run the program.

Many parents in HCM City have complained that they do not know which curriculum is best for their children.

Thuc Quyen, who has a daughter at Hoa Binh Primary School, said that about 20 students in the girl’s class have quit the Cambridge-standard English class, and that she is considering doing so also.

NLD