VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Health’s (MOH) decision to stop recruiting health workers with intermediate schools (2-year training) from 2021 has upset the calculations of all students, schools and hospitals as well.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, intermediate schools throughout the country enroll 130,000 students every year, including 60,000 medical students. It is estimated that there are 130,000 workers at healthcare centers in the country. 

If they want to continue working there, they have only once choice – coming back to school to obtain higher education levels.

However, Nguyen Thi Hoa from Gia Dinh People’s Hospital in HCM City, still cannot make decision whether to continue studying. She is now 42 years old and she feels it is unreasonable to go back to school at the age.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Nhu Hanh, a student of Anh Sang School, said on Dan Viet that her family’s limited financial capability does not allow her to follow university education. Hanh decided to go to intermediate school because she would have to spend only two years. 

However, with MOH’s decision, the intermediate school’s degree will not help her get a job. Hanh still cannot make up her mind whether to continue at the school or give up. 

Nguyen Dinh Quang, headmaster of Quang Trung Intermediate School, said on Thanh Nien that the school still enrollees students as usual. 

“Students can study at our school and then pass credits to continue studying at junior colleges or universities,” Quang said.

Intermediate schools throughout the country enroll 130,000 students every year, including 60,000 medical students.

According to Luong Quang Ngoc, headmaster of Ben Thanh School, most students of the school wish to pass credit to study at junior colleges and universities. Therefore, the school has decided to join forces with the HCMC University of Medicine & Pharmacy and Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University to provide joint training programs to satisfy the demand.

However, while the demand is very high, the quota is limited. Under the current regulations set by MOET, the number of students passing credit to study at higher levels must not be higher than 15 percent of total students.

The representative of Phuong Nam School also said the school is considering joining forces with some other schools to help the school’s graduates continue studying at junior colleges and universities.

“If the method cannot help, we will have only one choice – upgrading into junior college,” he said.

According to Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, director of the HCMC Tropical Diseases Hospital, 70 percent of nurses of the hospital graduated from intermediate school. 

“All of them will have to spend four years on average to continue studying at school. Who will replace them when they are away?’ he asked.


Thanh Mai