Students at Cao Thắng Technical College in HCM City. — VNS Photo Gia Lộc

HCM CITY — Many universities have changed enrollment methods, including higher enrollment quotas that will be based on students' high school records.

Open University, for instance, will base 70 per cent of its enrollment quota on student high school records for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Industrial University of HCM City will base 30 per cent of its enrollment quota on students' high school records, which involves about 2,400 candidates. At its branch in Quảng Ngãi Province, this method will comprise 50 per cent of the quota for each major.

The enrollment period ended in late July.

Dr Phạm Hữu Lộc, rector of Lý Tự Trọng College, told Thanh Niên (Young People) newspaper that many universities have published scores for admission based on students' high school records. Students are also waiting for high school graduation certificates so they can begin studying.

Many students prefer studying at universities and are reluctant to choose colleges or vocational training schools.  

In previous years, the Ministry of Education and Training offered a “floor score”, the minimum score required for university admission, Lộc said. Students with scores lower than the floor score can enroll in colleges or vocational training schools.

Nguyễn Tấn Thắng, deputy head of the training division at the HCM City Industry and Trade College, said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected family incomes and many high school graduates will give priority to work to earn an income first. As a result, the number of students enrolled in colleges will drop. 

Representatives of other colleges said that they have called students to announce the study schedule, but only a few of the students have come to school.

Phạm Quang Tuấn, vice rector of Thủ Đức College of Technology, said that if the pandemic continues to be serious and social distancing has to be carried out, many students may not be able to study or attend college.

Colleges have published their enrollment plans for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The HCM City Industry and Trade College’s enrollment quota, for instance, will be 4,210 in 21 majors. Of these, 80 per cent will be based on students’ high school records. The rest will be based on the scores of the national high school graduation exam.  

Cao Thắng Technical College plans to enroll 4,500 students in 19 majors.

Vocational training schools are also facing enrollment problems as their primary source of students is secondary school graduates.

The Directorate of Vocational and Training under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has suggested a trial period during which secondary school graduates will be permitted to apply to colleges, which is expected to lead to more competition between vocational schools and colleges.  

The amended Education Law that came into effect on July 1 allows ninth grade graduates to apply to study at colleges.

According to a report from the Directorate of Vocational and Training, enrollment in colleges and vocational training schools nationwide in the first five months of the year was 30 per cent of the figure compared to the same period last year. —VNS