[Vnbiz] Dramatic change in graduation ratio in Daklak

[AD Marshall]

A. Hoanh & CACC,

Re. the dramatic decline in DakLak highschool graduation exam successes, the
following is based on solely on personal observations almost exclusively
limited to the private education sector mixed with casual observations of
students i've watched or met over the last decade-plus in Saigon.  I'm quite
curious about the opinions of others here with more in-depth and varied
experiences, especially in the public education sector.

It has also been posted, with an introduction added, to the giaoduc-l
mailing list:
Gi'ao Du.c Education List (GiaoDuc-L)
To subscribe/unsubscribe contact Vern Weitzel <vern at coombs.anu.edu.au>

Personally, i suspect the VNExpress numbers A Hoanh quotes are likely biased
in graduates' favour last year and against them this year, but i am not
really surprised by the numbers.  In private schools at least, as a teacher,
i have witnessed the brazen persistence and versatility of local students'
efforts at cheating and, in the biggest photocopy shops in Saigon, i have
watched masses of students lining up to miniaturize cheat sheets just before
the exams start up.

I have also seen the sort of flawed, nonsensical exams local teachers and
professors can prepare.  After witnessing several exams of that sort, where,
for example, multiple choice questions didn't offer correct answers or the
questions themselves demonstrated a misunderstanding of the content in
question, given the local education system's emphasis on rote learning, i
then felt i understood why so many students here tend to put so much effort
into discovering and repeating what their teachers think is important to
know and so little effort at gaining an in-depth understanding of the
materials they are being taught.

If DakLak suddenly shifted to testing students' ability to apply the lessons
they've been taught, instead of just regurgitating them, stat's similar to
those above would be just about what i'd expect.

My expectations, however, have come from mere snapshots of short-term
experiences with Vietnam's educational system, snapshots almost exclusively
limited to the private education sector mixed with casual observations of
students i've watched or met over the last decade-plus in Saigon.  Again,
i'm curious about what others here with more in-depth and varied experience,
especially in the public education sector, might think about all this.


On 6/14/07, Tran Dinh Hoanh <tdhoanh at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> [ Vietnam Business Forum ]
>
>
> Dear CACC,
>
> According to this VNExpress article (if I understand it correctly), there
> is a dramatic change in the highschool graduation ratio this year, compared
> with last years.  Last year, both 82% of fulltime students and 82% of
> parttime students passed the graduation test.  This years, the ratio is
> 50.93 percent for fulltime students and 8.89% for part time students.  The
> Director of Daklak Education and Training Department is quoted as saying
> that "the ratios are much lower this year, but they reflect the true quality
> of students, because the test was administered seriously" ( i.e., no
> cheating).
>
> We all know that cheating was pervasive, but can we attribute such
> dramatic change (from 82% to 8.89 percent in the case of parttime
> students) to the seriousness of the test, meaning, we all should applaud the
> seriousness of the test this year?
>
> I have serious doubt about this.  And even if it is true, the result means
> that the quality of education is Daklak is extremely low, much lower than
> the national average.  (I can't remember the national average, but I was
> very high.  Does anyone have the number?  Around 50% this year?).  And since
> Daklak is the province of ethnic minorities, I am very concerned about the
> low quality of education in this province.  The question is "why?"
>
> Another thing I am concerned about is that it seems everyone has the tone
> of voice that "this year the ratio of graduation is lower, it means we
> administer the test more seriously."  That is a very lousy way to measure
> "seriousness," and such conclusion is not valid logically.  This year, the
> ratio may also be lower because the exams may be harder.  And why should the
> exams be harder this year?  Because someone may want to funk out as many
> students as possible, to use the funking mass as an evidence of "seriousness
> in administering the test."
>
> I am not trying to be cynical, but the dramatic change in ratios, the
> heavy adverse effects on a province of ethnic minority, and the happy tone
> of the education officials in citing the funking ratios as the good evidence
> of seriousness, all points to some very uneasy feeling on my part.  The
> number of flunking students may show some seriousness of the test, but more
> than that it is also the evidence of low education quality and failure to
> bring students up to at the level that the education ministry expects.
>
> Should some education researcher takes a closer look at the issues?
>
> Have a great day!
>
> Hoanh
> __________
>
> Tran Dinh Hoanh, LLB, JD
> Washington DC
>
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