VietNamNet Bridge – The race among parents to scramble for the seats at star schools for their children this year proves to be less scorching than expected. Parents now tend to send their children to nearby schools instead of squeezing into prestigious schools.

Fighting against the “achievement disease”

Ha, a parent in Tu Liem district in Hanoi, decided to enroll in a nearby primary school for the second child. Several years ago, she had to move heaven and earth to obtain a seat at a prestigious school for the first child. However, Ha has changed her mind.

She believes that going to a prestigious school does not always mean that a child would become a good student. Meanwhile, the children of star schools always bear a hard pressure. They have no other choice than becoming a student with good learning records to satisfy parents and schools.

“I do not want my child to be put under such a hard pressure, so I decided to send him to a state owned school near my house. I will not have to spend thousands of dollars to obtain a seat at a prestigious school for my child. Meanwhile, I can easily arrange my time to fetch up him from school,” Ha said.

Many other well off parents share the same thought with Ha. A parent said that if children have good teachers, they would be able to learn well--no matter they go to a star or a normal school.

Meanwhile, Luong Cong Minh, a parent in Dong Anh district in Hanoi, said that he would send the son to a popular school, because he fears the “achievement disease” suffered by star schools.

“All works and no play will make Jack into a dull boy. I want my son to grow up as a normal boy, not a talent,” he said, adding that star schools always set up high targets for students.

Phuong Lan, a parent in Ha Dong district of Hanoi, said going to star schools is not the best way as people think. As parents all try to send their children to prestigious schools, the classes get overloaded.

“I don’t believe that students can study well in the classes with 60 students,” she said.

“My first child still could get the bronze medal in a competition in Singapore, though she spent three years going to a mountainous school,” she added.

On webtretho, a big education forum for parents, choosing schools for children is now the hottest topic for discussions.

A parent with the nickname Megan Fox, complained that she and her husband could not reach an agreement about where to bring the child to. “My husband wants to bring the child to a nearby school. Meanwhile, I want my child to go to prestigious school,” she wrote.

However, the woman admitted that there’s nothing to complain about the school located near her house. Especially, the school has been rebuilt; therefore, the material facilities are very good.

Kiki love, an office worker, has also advised parents to bring children to a school near their homes, believing that this benefit both the children and parents. The children would not have to travel a long distance a day to reach to school, which ensures the good health for them. Meanwhile, parents would be able to arrange time to meet and see off them.

Mecom, a member of the forum, also said that ensuring the good health for children, especially when they are still small, should be seen as the top priority task for the parents. “The children do not have to become too good at primary school. If they are really clever, they would be good at higher education levels,” she said, adding that state owned schools could be a good choice for parents.

Thu Thao – Minh Hien