Male student chooses preschool profession amid 'storm' of prejudice

During the recent university entrance exam, the story of Le Trung Nghia, the only male student admitted to the preschool education department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, attracted public attention.

Teachers of Thanh Son Kindergarten, Ba Thuoc district ( Thanh Hoa ) play with children - Photo: HA DONG

Amidst the congratulations and encouragement, there was still a lot of laughter, doubt, and even scorn that boys going to preschool was out of place and a bit strange.

I read those comments with a mixture of surprise and sadness. Surprise because in the middle of the 21st century, when society advocates gender equality, it is still considered unusual for a young man to want to bond with a child. Sad because seemingly harmless laughter becomes a psychological barrier, making many young people hesitate to pursue their dreams.

Nghia was admitted based on his ability with 26.5 points in the high school graduation exam and 25.46 points in the specialized competency assessment exam. This is enough to enter many fields considered "prestigious".

However, her choice of preschool education was not seen as a success but became an "excuse" for netizens to discuss and question her gender, ability...

Faced with that pressure, Nghia calmly said: "Prejudice is a social problem, but how you live is up to you. Living a kind and useful life will change prejudice to some extent." The simple statement emphasizes the core value that the barrier does not lie with the individual but in the perspective and behavior of the community and society.

When a profession is labeled by gender

In the minds of many people, preschool education is considered a "women's profession". The image of a gentle, patient female teacher is so ingrained that the presence of a "preschool teacher" is a rare and unusual thing in the profession. Therefore, every male student entering the classroom of this major immediately attracts attention, even ridicule and jokes.

This prejudice does not only exist in Vietnam. In many care sectors such as nursing, social work, and preschool, men are often questioned about their gender and abilities. On the contrary, society easily accepts women as engineers, police officers, or technology drivers. This imbalance shows that career prejudice is one-sided and still has a harsher view of men when they enter fields considered to be specifically for women, especially in the care sector.

At Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, before 2023 there were almost no male students studying preschool education, but in the past two years, there has been one male student enrolled each year.

Benefits of diversity

Teacher Lai Cong Hoan teaches and plays with preschool children - Photo: KHÁNH LINH

The presence of males in early childhood education has a clear value. Children need early exposure to both males and females to develop a balanced worldview . A male teacher can provide a different way of interacting, complementing the gentleness and femininity of a female teacher, which can provide a positive gender role model for the child in the process of personality development.

In Japan, the proportion of male preschool teachers is about 3% (according to the World Bank), in Korea it is only 1.2% (according to the OECD), while in the European Union it ranges from less than 1% to 12.1%, averaging about 4.6% (according to Eurostat).

Despite the low rates, these countries have implemented financial support, training and communication policies to encourage male participation, increase gender diversity in early childhood education and provide positive gender role models for children. This not only helps to break down stereotypes but also helps to address the shortage of human resources, a problem that Vietnam is also facing.

Social anxiety and dangerous stereotypes

One reason why the public is wary of male preschool teachers is because of concerns about children’s safety and the risk of harassment or violence. This sentiment is well-founded, as there have been negative incidents in the education sector. But it is completely wrong and dangerous to attribute the entire issue to gender. The wrongdoing is due to the individual’s lack of professional ethics, not to gender.

Instead of assuming that “men are inherently risky,” societies need to establish training, monitoring, and assessment mechanisms that apply equally to all teachers, regardless of gender. When these mechanisms are transparent and effective, misconduct will be severely punished, regardless of gender.

Putting the burden of doubt on the shoulders of young men who love children and want to become preschool teachers is no different than depriving them of the opportunity to contribute and reducing valuable resources for the education sector.

Dreams need to be respected

Nghia’s story is not only his own but also reflects the reality of many other young people. How many dreams have been buried because of the fear of “what people think”? How many talents have been missed because their families and society forced them to follow “the right profession”? A progressive society cannot develop if each individual is still trapped in a box of prejudice.

As a parent of a preschooler, I see the value of having a preschool teacher. Children need diversity, not only in knowledge but also in gender roles. If my child were to learn with a teacher like that one day, I would be happy because he would have more opportunities to be exposed to positive and equal role models.

Innovation from social thinking

We are talking a lot about educational innovation, most recently Resolution 72 on the spirit of innovation, focusing on students. But innovation is not in the program or method but in social thinking. A new, unprejudiced mindset paves the way for career dreams and regardless of gender.

It's time for everyone to ask themselves, is a sarcastic laugh online, a "haha" icon worth preventing a young person from living their dream?

The answer is no. If today society supports the first "Nghias", tomorrow there will be many other young men boldly entering the industry, contributing to enriching and professionalizing preschool education in Vietnam.

DANG THI THUY DIEM

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nam-sinh-chon-nghe-mam-non-giua-bao-dinh-kien-20250919112125422.htm