VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Education and Training has publicised a list of 147 colleges across the nation that will have to close down specific majors or departments that have been found in violation of recruitment regulations.

Illustrative image -- File photo

The number of college majors to make the list is 681, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reported. The violated regulation in question mandates that for every major, colleges must offer three consecutive years of study to students of a certain major and maintain a minimum of four lecturers with Master's degrees or higher that specialise in the subject.

The newspaper quoted ministry sources blaming the lack of student demand as the reason for the closure of nearly half of the majors on the list.

Though some schools were obviously suffering from more than a lack of demand. At the top of the list of schools in trouble were Bac Ninh Pedagogy College with 13 majors at risk; Ha Nam Pedagogy College with 19 majors at risk; and Dak Lak Pedagogy College with 18 majors at risk.

Dak Lak Pedagogy College and the HCM City Culture and Fine Arts College are well-known for lacking adequately trained and specialised lecturers.

Nguyen Ngoc Lam, rector of the Bac Ninh Pedagogy College, commented that the ministry is unaware of the particular difficulties, challenges and operation style of local colleges.

"Not all majors are open to enrollment every year. Our enrollment is up to local demand," Lam said, adding that some majors open to re-enrollment only after an interval of three to four years.

Nguyen Trong Hoa, rector of Dak Lak Pedagogy College, reacted to the ministry's announcement differently, announcing the school would send a report to the ministry soon to update it on its plan to employ 30 new teachers this year.

In a talk with Tuoi Tre, Vice Education and Training Minister Bui Van Ga said that the ministry had sent a last warning to the schools on the list, requesting them to review the ministry's data and update them if their situation had improved.

"If the proof they produce to challenge the review's findings is not persuasive enough, they must stop enrolling students in the major at issue and the permit to teach the major will be revoked," Ga affirmed.

Source: VNS