Le Tien Chau, secretary general of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, said voters have appreciated the government's prevention and control of Covid, and the protection of people’s health. Teachers and students now can go back to school after two years of studying online.

They have recognized the great efforts of the educational sector in preparing teaching conditions in accordance with the new 2018 general education program for third, seventh and 10th grades, and in investment in facilities and teaching equipment.

However, they have expressed concern about problems in the educational sector, including the lack of workers and the mass resignation of teachers because of modest salaries.

The education program with new textbooks has not received a consensus among teachers, learners and parents, because separate subjects are now integrated into Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts, thus making it difficult to arrange teachers to teach the subjects.

Voters said the use of many sets of textbooks at general schools has created a "commercial war among publishing houses". The differences in content and structure of each set of textbooks make it difficult to compile common exam questions. 

Meanwhile, students who move to other schools have to buy new textbooks and find it difficult to access knowledge.

Voters also are worried about the information on raising tuition at different education levels, and the additional fees and contributions to school development. This puts a heavy burden on parents, especially low-income earners.

They say that education and vocational training should be designed in a way to be in line with the modernization and industrialization process. 

Many university graduates now cannot find jobs and have to take jobs in industries unrelated to their training majors, which is a big waste of society’s resources.

Chau said voters have asked the government to instruct the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) to apply serious measures to solve the problems arising from the replacement of textbooks, and give guidance to ensure the uniform use of textbooks at schools nationwide. 

Voters have also asked MOET to join forces with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to draw up solutions to solve the deficiencies and overabundance of teachers; stop the "achievement disease" that reduces education quality; and stop collection of additional fees from students. 

Some voters have suggested putting textbooks on the list of products under the state’s price control.

Tran Thuong