Education - the soft power of the nation

Education reform cannot follow trends, nor can it be modeled after external models. It must have a long-term vision, creating momentum for sustainable growth, and be the soft power of the nation.

Overview of the workshop.

On September 26, the Vietnam Education Trade Union coordinated with the Institute for Educational Development Cooperation to organize a scientific conference with the theme "80 years of Vietnam's revolutionary education" to review the glorious tradition of the past 80 years and continue to affirm the role of education in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland.

At the same time, the conference is a forum for scientists and generations of teachers to express, share and discuss; determine the direction for the education sector in the face of opportunities and challenges in the coming time.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Chairman of the Vietnam Education Trade Union Nguyen Ngoc An emphasized that over the past 80 years, Vietnam's education has gone through many stages of development associated with the historical changes of the nation.

After more than 1 month of sending invitations, more than 60 papers were sent to the conference's Organizing Committee, demonstrating the special attention and sense of responsibility of teachers towards new, big issues of education, before the era of national development.

Chairman of Vietnam Education Trade Union Nguyen Ngoc An delivered the opening speech at the workshop.

The key role of education in national development

"The dedicated, responsible, and scientific contributions drawn from practice as well as from the research process of the delegates will be important documents contributing to the process of educational innovation with mechanisms, policies, management mechanisms, and content and methods of organizing educational activities in a very new period today," said comrade Nguyen Ngoc An.

Comments from teachers at the conference affirmed: Throughout the history of the nation, education has always held a key position in the cause of building and defending the country.

However, only when the August Revolution in 1945 succeeded, a new education system, the Vietnamese revolutionary education system, was officially born, under the direct leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh.

This is the first education system that clearly affirms the philosophy of learning to become a good person - a good citizen to serve the Fatherland and the people; at the same time, it highlights the achievements of Vietnam's revolutionary education over the past 80 years: Comprehensive development of the national education system, eradicating illiteracy and universalizing education, which is also a historic achievement; improving the quality of education, shifting from learning to know to learning to do, learning to live together, learning to be a human being; ensuring equal rights to education for everyone, leaving no one behind; standardizing the team of teachers and managers; improving and promoting socialization and international integration...

The workshop was attended by many experts, scientists and educators.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Gia Cau, Deputy Director of the Institute for Educational Development Cooperation Research, shared: After the August Revolution in 1945, Vietnam's education entered a new era, revolutionary, democratic, humanistic and developed with the first outstanding achievement being the "elimination of illiteracy" movement.

After 1986, in the renovation process, education continued to innovate content, methods and management. The State implemented the socialization of education, diversified training types, and expanded international cooperation.

The remarkable achievements are shown through the increase in the rate of school attendance at the right age, the expansion of the school network to remote areas, and the strong development of university and vocational education.

Especially since 2018, the new general education program has demonstrated the spirit of "fundamental and comprehensive innovation", taking learners as the center, developing students' qualities and capacities.

Associate Professor, Doctor Pham Viet Vuong, Hanoi National University of Education pointed out the reasons for the victory of 80 years of Vietnam's revolutionary education. That is: having the genius leader Ho Chi Minh to show the way - an outstanding revolutionary, a great culturalist, a wise educator; the glorious Communist Party leading with the right direction, with strategic vision, leading the people from one victory to another;

The Vietnamese people have a tradition of ardent patriotism and studiousness; a team of teachers devoted to the future of the people's children; a generation of intelligent, creative, studious students who strive for their own happiness and bring honor to their families and the nation.

Besides, delegates affirmed that the achievements of Vietnam's education not only demonstrate the outstanding efforts of the whole society, but also prove the key role of education in the country's development.

Develop open education instead of imparting knowledge

Opinions also pointed out that besides the great opportunities of the education career in the new era, Vietnam's education is facing enormous, multi-dimensional challenges: inadequacies in management thinking that is heavy on administration and command; the educational organization model is not synchronized, overlapping management levels; the educational gap between regions; the teacher training and fostering system does not meet new requirements; pressure to innovate programs and textbooks; lack of connection between education and the labor market...

In addition, delegates also frankly pointed out: the material facilities and teaching staff are still lacking; the management and administration of schools are still very limited; the disease of achievement in education is still severe, from management levels to teachers, students and parents; the learning goal is not for self-development but chasing after scores and achievements...

Delegates at the conference.

To promote the achievements of the past 80 years and continue to strongly innovate comprehensive education in Vietnam, opinions affirm the need to firmly adhere to orientations and strategies such as: Developing comprehensive, humane education, taking learners as the center; comprehensively developing learners' personality, qualities and capacities; respecting learners' individuality and diversity; creating conditions for each person to develop their maximum potential, shifting from traditional education to developing open education; from evaluating scores to evaluating progress and sustainable development; promoting digital transformation and innovation in education, enhancing international integration; preserving national identity; building a fair and inclusive lifelong learning education.

Emphasizing the role of the teaching staff, many delegates said that teachers are the direct force implementing the policies and programs of innovation. Therefore, we must always take care to build this team with heart, vision and talent, be regularly trained, receive reasonable compensation and have a sustainable career development environment.

In addition, education needs to be a "launching pad" for creative ideas of the young generation, through promoting digital transformation and innovation in education; arousing critical thinking, creativity, cooperation, self-learning and autonomy - essential skills of global citizens.

Profound lessons from the stages of Vietnam's educational reform show that all innovations must originate from the requirements of socio-economic development, from the cultural characteristics and people of Vietnam, and at the same time, meet the requirements of the digital age, globalization and sustainable development. Educational reform cannot follow trends, nor can it be modeled after external models, but must have a long-term vision, create momentum for sustainable growth, and be the soft power of the country.

THANH HA

Source: https://nhandan.vn/giao-duc-suc-manh-mem-cua-quoc-gia-post910811.html