VietNamNet Bridge – In an effort to improve the standard of
English in schools, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City had approved a pilot
program to raise English language proficiency for the period 2011-2020 at an
investment of VND2,500 billion ($120 million), which now is facing a roadblock.
To make the program effective and
successful, the Department of Education and Training had decided to recruit
foreign native English speakers to teach in elementary, middle and high schools
in HCMC.
When parents learnt of this
program they were all excited with the hope that their children would have an
opportunity to study English with foreign teachers.
Unfortunately, the department now
says that the City budget cannot support the project fully and hence some
changes will need to be made.
Social contribution will now be
required to fund most of the project as the City can only provide the facilities.
Some schools in the City had
agreed to recruit 29 Filipino teachers, but the department will only bring in
these teachers for the next academic school year. Because the program was
introduced late, some schools had already employed teachers from the UK, US,
Australia, and Canada.
Although Filipino teachers agree
to work on a lower salary, about US$2,000 a month, some schools will ask for
contributions for paying their salaries from students’ parents.
Under such circumstances, schools
in poorer districts and suburban areas can only see such programs as sour
grapes--as none of the students will be able to afford to pay towards salaries
of foreign teachers.
Phan Thanh Lap, deputy head of
the Department of Education and Training in Binh Tan District, said that
District 7 has more than 18 public schools teaching English as an extra
curricular activity but only four schools are able to hire foreign teachers.
Besides, facilities in
disadvantaged districts are poor and cannot meet the requirements for foreign
teachers.
Compared to the existing English
teaching methodology, it is better that thousands of students in the City have
a chance of practicing listening and speaking skills with native English
speakers, who create a more exciting atmosphere in classrooms for students.
The City should focus on students
in disadvantaged districts to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor,
said some educators.
Source: SGGP
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