VietNamNet Bridge - Over the last five years of operation, the Vietnam History Development Fund has given awards to 897 excellent students who won first, second and third prizes at national history competition. However, the fund itself does not know how many students have become historians and how many of them still continue history studies.

Over the last five years of operation, the Vietnam History Development Fund has given awards to 897 excellent students

Nguyen Thi Thanh from Sam Son Town in Thanh Hoa province said she and her husband were shocked when her son decided to go to a class for the gifted majoring in history. At first, she tried to prevent his admission to the class.

However, she later changed her mind. The boy told her that he would try to get high prizes at the national history competition to be eligible to enter university without having to attend the university entrance exam.

“I was afraid that my son would not have many choices for university education,” she explained.

“There are not many schools for you to choose if you study history,” she said.

The fund itself does not know how many students have become historians and how many of them still continue history studies.

And the parent only agreed with the son when he said he planned to apply to attend the Security Academy.

Tien Phong’s reporters, who conducted a mini survey, have found that the majority of them decided to continue to study at the Security Academy or the People’s Police Academy. Only a very small proportion decided to continue studying history at university.

Three out of six polled students awarded in 2016 said they would apply at the two academies.

An 11th grader who won first prize also said he would enter the Security Academy the next year, after he finishes high school.

Meanwhile, Hoang Thi Hong, a 12th grader of the Lam Son High School for the Gifted, majoring in history, said she would go to the People’s Police Academy.

“We are all fond of history. But most of us choose to continue studying at the People’s Police Academy, Security Academy, Law School or University of Education,” Hong said.

Duong Trung Quoc, a renowned historian, admitted that the fund and the Vietnam Historians’ Association have not conducted any survey to find out how many of the 900 awarded students in the last five years chose to become historians.

Quoc went on to say that it is understandable why students don’t continue studying history at university. “There are not many job opportunities for the students who study history,” he said.

Nghiem Dinh Vy, former president of the Hanoi University of Education, also said that it was very difficult for teachers, especially teachers of history, to find jobs.

Tien Phong