Plan to remove vocational training points when considering high school graduation

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is seeking comments on a draft circular promulgating regulations for high school graduation exams in 2025.

According to the draft, the Ministry of Education and Training will remove the regulation that high school students and continuing education students will receive extra vocational training points when considering high school graduation.

As in previous years, students with excellent vocational or excellent secondary school diplomas will receive 2 extra points; students with good vocational, good and average secondary school diplomas will receive 1.5 extra points; and students with average diplomas will receive 1 extra point.

If approved, this content will officially apply from the 2025 high school graduation exam - the first year of implementing the exam according to the new general education program.

Dr. Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former Director of the Department of Vocational Education, Ministry of Education and Training, said that eliminating the bonus points for vocational certificates when considering high school graduation from 2025 is reasonable and in line with the new general education program.

According to Mr. Vinh, vocational training in high schools is currently in the direction of "teaching for the sake of it", students learn vocational training not for the purpose of career guidance or orientation, the main purpose is to get extra points when considering high school graduation.

If students study vocational training seriously at high schools, have vocational skills and meet labor market standards, it is more reasonable for them to receive extra points when continuing to study vocational training than to add points to consider high school graduation.

Vocational training does not add to the academic ability of candidates. Organizing students to go to vocational training but then they go to university, almost has no meaning.

"Many countries have long abandoned this type of career guidance model. If they want, high schools can combine inviting vocational school lecturers to teach students proper skills according to vocational skills standards, with clear testing and evaluation," Mr. Vinh stated his opinion.