Many high-schools in HCM City have announced that current teaching programmes do not address the real needs of students.

Nearly 150 students joined dialogue

Nguyen Huu Thai Anh, from An Dong High School in District 5, said many national historic events, particularly after 1975, have been omitted from textbooks, including the information about Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands.

Thai Anh said that, now that students have access to many channels of information, if schools fail at adjusting their teaching methods, students will lose their trust in school teaching.

Another student commented that she heard a lot about the Gac Ma Battle in 1988, but was never taught about the event from her textbooks.

“Why are such events are not taught at schools? Shouldn't Vietnamese students be taught about their own history?” she asked.

Other students complain that the most useful subjects are out of date.

“We are taught Powerpoint in class, but most of us are unable to use it for presentations in class. The majority of students who can use it learn the programme from courses outside school,” said a student from Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School.

According to a number of students, foreign language courses pay too much attention to grammar and not enough on the practical skills of using the language. The result of this is that those interested seek education from training courses outside of their schools.

Students to blame?

At a dialogue, Nguyen Hoai Chuong, the Deputy Director of the HCM City's Department of Education and Training, said many of the Ministry of Education and Training’s teaching programmes have not yet updated their textbooks.

Nguyen Hoai Chuong, the Deputy Director of the HCM City's Department of Education and Training

According to Chuong, it is the students who should create their own roles in study and society.

In HCM City, an education reform programme has been promoted for ten years. Local schools are allowed to change their teaching methods and curriculum.

Chuong said that the HCM City Department of Education and Training considers the effectiveness of teaching and learning as a top priority. Teachers are not required to teach only from the textbook, but can adapt the content to make it more useful for students.

“Learning foreign languages should not be too focused on grammar. Teachers should find ways to instill their students with the means to improve their language skills,” he noted.

The official added that students should also be more proactive in exploring new avenues of knowledge that interest them and will contribute to the country's workforce.