Ministry voices concerns regards IELTS in high school admissions

Nguyen Xuan Thanh, head of the Department of Secondary Education within the Ministry of Education and Training Vietnam, addressed concerns regarding the use of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as a criterion for high school admission.

Thanh highlighted the Ministry’s stance on the issue, citing various factors contributing to the perceived inequality in the admissions process.

According to Thanh, there are delineated groups of students exempted from entrance exams since 2014, including those from ethnic minority boarding schools, students of ethnic minorities, disabled students, and students with national accolades in culture, art, sports, and science. Additionally, certain student demographics, such as children of war martyrs and individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged regions, receive bonus points during the admission process.

However, Thanh expressed concerns about the fairness of the bonus point system, prompting regulatory adjustments in 2018 to prohibit localities from incorporating bonus points into student evaluations. While local authorities retain autonomy in crafting admission strategies, decisions regarding direct admissions or prioritization ultimately lie within the purview of the Ministry.

He cautioned against the use of IELTS scores as an admission criterion, citing potential disparities exacerbated by socioeconomic factors. He emphasized the inherent challenges faced by students in economically marginalized areas, asserting that access to foreign language certification testing sites and the financial burden of examination fees pose significant barriers to equitable opportunity.

Thanh underscored the intrinsic motivation behind language acquisition, asserting that learning a foreign language should serve as a tool for academic and professional endeavors rather than a means to secure admission through certification. He cautioned against incentivizing extrinsic motivations, noting that such approaches may compromise the sustainability of language acquisition efforts.

Addressing concerns that the exclusion of IELTS results could deter English language learning, Thanh reaffirmed the importance of internal drive in fostering language proficiency. He urged the Ministry to carefully deliberate the implications of solely considering IELTS scores for admission, emphasizing the need to safeguard students from potential wastage of time and resources.

P.S Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, bordered by China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east and south.