The Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) reported that the number of pupils and students who want to study abroad as well as at international schools in Vietnam is increasing and Vietnam should find ways around to attract more foreign investment into the education sector.

The number of students who want to study abroad as well as at international schools is increasing 

According to the public-private dialogue, currently over 110,000 Vietnamese students are studying in 47 countries, spending USD30-40,000 a year on tuition.

In 2013, 125,000 Vietnamese students studied abroad, an increase of 15 percent on the previous year. According to Monitor.Icef.com, 90 percent of the students do not rely on scholarships or other funds for their study. It is estimated that Vietnamese students have spent USD3bn each year on studying abroad.

Most students think that studying abroad is better and worth their money. Well-off families whose children are unable to get score well in Vietnamese university exams also send their children abroad with hope for better education. In addition, more countries provide or have increased the number of scholarships for Vietnamese students.

Not only high school graduates are seeking chances to study abroad, even high school and secondary pupils are keen to benefit from international standard education.

Brian O'Reilly, representative of the VBF's Education and Training Group, said according to article 24 in the Resolution 73 issued in 2012, an international school is only allowed to receive a maximum of 10 percent of Vietnamese primary or secondary pupils, and 20 percent for high school pupils. He said the decision was unreasonable in a context where Vietnam claimed it wanted to embrace global integration.

If Vietnam does not allow who with needs to study at international schools, they would go abroad, he said. Moreover, by limiting the number of pupils at international schools, Vietnam would be unable to attract foreign investment into the education sector in places other than Hanoi, HCM City or Danang.

Some people said they feared students might lose Vietnamese culture if they study at international schools. O'Reilly however dismissed this irrational fear and said international schools still teach students Vietnamese history and provide an environment in which Vietnamese culture was obviously respected. He suggested that government should remove the article so that more students can study in Vietnam rather than travelling abroad.