(VOVworld) – Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan was grilled on educational quality, reforms, and renewal of examination methods at the National Assembly’s Q&A session on Wednesday.

Minister Luan explained that Vietnam has seen high unemployment among graduates because educational institutions have designed their syllabuses without attention to local needs. Programs have lacked a focus on team work and language skills and have lagged behind other nations’ educational programs. Institutions have enrolled more students but have not attached great importance to educational quality.

New graduates struggle to find a job. (Photo: VOV)

To solve the problem, the Ministry has limited the number of new colleges and intensified vocational orientation.

Luan said: “In Vietnam, about 400,000 students graduate from universities each year. Educational programs that serve booming economic sectors after the market has already formed have caused a gap between supply and demand. We are responsible for improving education quality and informing students about the hiring needs of different sectors. Employers and job centers are also responsible for this. We have discussed this thoroughly in the government’s strategy for job development.”

The vocational orientation has obtained some initial success. Specifically, in the past 2 years more students registered for vocational schools. The Ministry will cooperate with other agencies to expand orientation activities.

Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan  (Photo: VOV)