The Hanoi Education and Training Department has organized a campaign to assess teachers’ qualifications in accordance with international standards. It will last from June 5 to June 25.

Le Thu Phuong, a parent in Dong Da district, said her daughter began learning Englishat foreign language centers when the girl entered secondary school.

“My daughter has communicated well with foreigners since seventh grade,” Phuong said. “As she studies English with native speakers, her pronunciation is quite good."

Her daughter has complained that her teacher of English at school makes mistakes in pronunciation.

She applauds the decision by the local education department to test teachers of English and upgrade their qualifications.

“How can teachers teach students if they are worse than the students?” she said, adding that both students and teachers have to satisfy certain standards.

A teacher of English at a secondary school admitted that she sends her daughter to a foreign language center.

The Hanoi Education and Training Department has organized a campaign to assess teachers’ qualifications in accordance with international standards. It will last from June 5 to June 25.

“The English lessons at school focus on grammar. I have to send my daughter to extra classes to practice listening and speaking skills,” she explained,

Asked about the qualifications of teachers of English at her school, she said many older teachers are worried about the test because they studied Russian or Chinese at university and later shifted to teach English.

“They teach English in the morning and go to extra classes to practice English in the afternoon,” she said. “Incorrect pronunciation is commonly seen."

Meanwhile, Hanoi parents say that setting high requirements for teachers of English is a must.

Tran Tam, a parent in Cau Giay district, said at the school where his son attends many students get 7.0-7.5 IELTS when they are in 12th grade.

“How can a teacher teach if they cannot get above 7.5 IELTS?” Tam said, adding that it is not too difficult to obtain 6.5 IELTS.

According to Nguyen Xuan Khang, headmaster of Marie Curie School, Hanoi students nowadays learn English very well.

“At Marie Curie School, ninth graders can get 6.5-7.0 IELTS, while 12th graders a score of 7.5-8.0. Teachers’ qualifications need to be upgraded,” he said.

The headmaster of Le Quy Don High School said 6.5 IELTS should be set as a compulsory requirement for teachers. If they cannot meet the requirement, they should not be able to continue teaching. 

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