>> New primary textbooks impress students

Vietnamese students are in desperate need of textbooks that meet international standards in order to receive an adequate education.

Students of FPT Polytechnic College

In order to keep up with current knowledge on information technology (IT), FPT Polytechnic College has imported foreign textbooks for their syllabus. This is because Vietnamese textbooks are often substandard, insufficient or outdated. When students use these books, they’re forced to search for sources on their own in order to make up for what’s missing.

To make up for these shortcomings, many times the college’s lecturers have had to compile their own textbooks based on their personal experience and knowledge of foreign books.

“It will be much easier to import foreign textbooks than to build an internationally recognised college,” said lecturer Quach Ngoc Xuan, who is also the director of training.

According to Xuan, it’s necessary not only to import textbooks, but also to translate them and compile new Vietnamese sources that will be able to give Vietnamese students the world-class education they deserve.

Xuan said that his colleagues often compile new textbooks for them with support from leading publishing houses such as McGraw Hill, Pearson, and Wiley to keep their students up to date with the most advanced technology.

Student Lan Anh shared, “I find it easier to understand books that are translated into Vietnamese. The information is systematic and the details are updated. I often study long into the night with these books.”

Another student, Ly Huong, commented, “If you’re English is good enough, you should get the original textbook to compare with the Vietnamese version. That is a good way to improve your technical English.”

A lecturer at the college said, “With good, reliable textbooks, students have more time to study and teachers have more time to help them.”

Unfortunately, in the past, Vietnamese students have used the textbooks available to them as a source to prepare for exams and get through school, but have not considered them a reliable source for practical knowledge or long-term study.