VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Education and Training has pledged to reform higher education management in the lead up to 2015, said a ministry official on Wednesday.

Speaking at an online conference, Deputy Minister Bui Van Ga said the ministry will focus on renewing education programmes and assessing higher education results.

The workshop was held to review three years' implementation on renewing the management of tertiary education. The directive was issued by the Prime Minister and detailed in a ministry action plan.

In order to fulfill the ministry's targets by 2015, the plan prioritises attracting lecturers and management officials to universities and colleges, he said.

The ministry will also attempt to finalise legal provisions for higher education and increase supervision of new schools; with priority also being given to the assessment of education and training programmes.

The ministry also plans to build high calibre universities and new tertiary education programmes to meet international standards, in an effort to produce more high skilled workers, he said.

Meanwhile, representatives from schools and provincial education departments have called for funding increases for school infrastructure upgrades, teachers and scientific research.

Reporting on improvements in higher education management during the past three years, the ministry conceded many challenges remained.

Deputy Minister Ga admitted changes to the curriculum were slow and failed to meet demand, adding there were many other factors delaying improvements to education such as cheating and plagiarism at training institutions.

Meanwhile, a number of higher education schools were also found to be in breach of regulations relating to enrollments and training co-operation.

Industrial University in HCM City, the Thai Nguyen College of Economic and Finance in northern Thai Nguyen Province and the HCM City-based ASEAN College were among those violating education regulations.

However, implementation of the Government directive and the ministry's action plan has shown positive progress in the sector, according to official data.

Figures from the Ministry show around 392 of the 420 universities and colleges (approx. 93.3 per cent) have improved training quality, with many schools co-operating with businesses to equip students with more relevant and practical skills.

The director of Da Nang University, Tran Van Nam, said the university had boosted co-operation with domestic and foreign businesses to provide training to meet employer demands.

Around 90 per cent of petrochemical engineers working at Dung Quat industrial zone in central Quang Ngai Province are graduates from the university, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan highlighted the need to review changes to the education sector's infrastructure, teaching, enrollments and graduations.

He said the ministry needed a mechanism for localities to better manage universities and colleges.

Meanwhile, the Government has committed to investing in a number of universities and building student accommodation.

Source: VNS