In the past, parents in the poor land of Ha Tinh thought that no matter how hard they had to work, they would have to earn enough money to send their children to large cities to study at university. Having children going to university was the pride of the family and it was believed to be the only way to help them escape poverty.

However, they have changed their mind after seeing many excellent students who graduate from prestigious universities who still cannot find a job, or have a job that is not in their major field of study. 

Meanwhile, those who work for state agencies complain that the modest pay is not enough to cover basic needs.

Going to work abroad as a guest worker is now the choice of a high proportion of high school graduates.

Le Hoai N, vice rector of a high school in Thach Ha district in Ha Tinh province, confirmed that many excellent students have chosen not to continue studying at university, but to go abroad to work as export laborers.

“Studying for higher education is not the optimal choice as many university graduates still stay jobless. So, many high school graduates choose to go to vocational schools or work abroad,” he said.

His school's last academic year had two students winning first prizes at the provincial competition for excellent students in geography, and they were selected for the provincial team of selected students to attend the national competition. But they refused.

The two students were not only good at geography but all subjects. They told their teachers that after finishing high school, they will spend time studying Korean and Japanese, as well as vocational skills, to prepare to work abroad.

Dau Tinh