VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Minister of Education and Training Bui Van Ga has assured students that there will not be major changes in the university enrollment procedures for next year.

Candidates chat after finishing their maths exam at the Ha Noi College of Education. There will not be major changes in university enrollment procedures next year.

He made the statement at the online dialogue on Changes in University and College Enrollment of the year 2014, held on Friday, Dec 27, on the Government's online portal.

The statement was aimed to quell fears expressed by students about a recent draft regulation announced by MoET, under which universities would have more discretion over student enrollment procedures from next year.

The draft regulation created an uproar from students concerned that the new enrollment procedures would undermine their current efforts for exam preparation.

Talking directly to student concerns, the Deputy Minister said the draft regulation required all universities to organise their own enrollment procedures from 2017.

Universities across the country are currently following a generic enrollment procedure where students wanting to enter universities sit the same entrance exams.

Ga said universities and students would need time to adapt to the changes, with the ministry setting aside three years as a transition period for the new enrollment methods to come into effect.

"Students should stay calm and focus on their studying for the coming exams. The ministry understands that a sudden halt of the general enrollment procedures would result in panic among students, so we will have three years to get used to the new concept and prepare for it," Ga said.

Ga also said that universities and colleges that wished to have their own enrollment procedures for 2014 could submit proposals to the ministry.

The deadline for the proposals has been set for next February with the ministry announcing the list of universities with separate enrollment plans in March.

"The general enrollment method has been in place for 10 years. Such a method is out of date and not in synch with the education reform process," said the deputy minister for education, adding that education reform needed to shift from passive learning to active learning with a focus on fostering individual student abilities.

Ga also added that university enrollment exams needed to change to give teachers and students proper teaching and flexible learning methods.

The new enrollment method will also allow universities to select students who are most suitable for their training programmes, he added, saying that candidates will be able to choose from many opportunities.

"Universities and colleges can either organise exams, or interview candidates for the enrollment procedure. So a student who is outstanding at one field but less advantaged in other fields can still have a chance to be selected," said Ga.

Source: VNS