New opportunities for the education sector (Part 2): Resolution 71 opens up a new, more modern and humane development space

Professor Huynh Van Son. (Photo courtesy)

Clearly identify and have a roadmap to remove bottlenecks

Resolution 71 is considered a breakthrough, comprehensive and strategic document for the education sector. How do you perceive the political and social significance of this resolution in affirming the determination to make education and training a key driving force for national development?

Resolution 71 is not simply a policy document, but is truly a strong political declaration, demonstrating the determination to fundamentally, comprehensively and profoundly reform the national education system.

In the context of the country entering a new stage of development, with increasingly high demands on human resource quality and integration, this resolution demonstrates consistency in the policy of considering education and training as the top national policy.

The guiding viewpoints show the connection between tradition and modernity, ensuring the educational principles and philosophies of our country. Not only that, the resolution also shows updated orientations, creating major policies to plan educational development in a breakthrough direction in the new context.

The political significance is also deeply expressed when the educational goals are defined with both vision and quantification, showing strength in thinking and comprehensiveness. The goals oriented to 2035 and vision to 2045 show that forecasting and expectations are also systematically and methodically concerned. Socially, this is a timely call to arouse confidence, strengthen the desire for learning and sustainable development in the community.

The resolution sets the goal of Vietnam being in the top 50 countries with high quality education by 2030. This is not just an expectation but a commitment to strategic action, with a vision beyond term thinking. Institutional breakthroughs, digital transformation and international integration are also evidence of the resolution's stature in making education a key driving force for national development in the 21st century.

One of the highlights of Resolution 71 is to remove long-standing “bottlenecks” in the education system. In your opinion, what are the biggest “bottlenecks” that the resolution will remove, and what new opportunities will that open up for the Vietnamese education sector?

One of the outstanding values of Resolution 71 is to clearly identify and have a roadmap to remove the long-standing “bottlenecks” in Vietnamese education. With 8 tasks, solutions and 6 guiding viewpoints, it can be said that the bottlenecks are all concerned, systematically approached and focused to “position” correctly; “handle” closely and “prescribe” effectively.

It is also necessary to affirm that in any education system there are points that need to be paid attention to when operating, but following the successes of implementing Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW dated November 4, 2013 of the 11th Party Central Committee "On fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training, meeting the requirements of industrialization and modernization in the conditions of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration"; as well as the achievements and results that have been achieved, "screening", "clarifying" or "correctly diagnosing bottlenecks" is a very valuable step, of great significance.

"Innovations in education not only meet integration requirements, but also create the foundation for forming a generation of global citizens with Vietnamese identity who are ready to work, work effectively, are not afraid of competition, and are ready to innovate and be creative."

There are three bottlenecks that need attention: the institutions are not yet synchronized, the quality of the staff is not uniform, and the educational management mindset is still heavily administrative. The legal institutions are still overlapping, causing frequent disruptions in the implementation of innovations; the quality of the teaching staff - especially in remote areas - is still lacking in both expertise and working conditions. Meanwhile, educational management has not kept up with the requirements of digital transformation and autonomy, which is a problem that needs to be solved.

Resolution 71 with its orientations for legal reform, strong decentralization, and key investments in the teaching staff will open up new development space: a more flexible, modern, and humane education system. When the bottlenecks are removed, development opportunities will come not only to the industry but also to each learner, each family, and the whole society.

Teachers are not only those who teach knowledge, but also need to become guides, inspirers and companions in developing personality. (Photo: Vu Minh Hien)

Resolution 71 has clearly defined the trends and policy directions for Vietnamese education in the coming period. Could you analyze the most prominent new points, especially in the fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education towards integration and innovation?

Resolution 71 affirms a strong shift from traditional education to education for comprehensive human development, promoting self-study capacity, critical thinking and creativity. A particularly noteworthy new point is the promotion of open - flexible - integrated education, with the orientation of building a learning society and lifelong learning.

In addition, digital transformation in education is no longer a slogan but has become a strategy and a comprehensive solution, from management to teaching, from learning materials, language materials to assessment. Emphasizing digital capacity, artificial intelligence, and global skills has brought Vietnam's educational vision closer to international standards as well as identified "key points" in how to integrate and compete directly.

"In the digital and globalized era, it is not only important to 'know a lot', but to understand and practice the right way of living, to understand how to self-study and learn to improve yourself, and to take authentic actions to maintain Vietnamese values in a multidimensional world."

On the other hand, the Resolution also requires a strong innovation in the way students are evaluated: from focusing on scores to focusing on the process of developing personal capacity. Along with that, in task - solution 6 when directly referring to vocational education, it is necessary to continue to reform and modernize as well as create a breakthrough in developing human resources with high vocational skills, showing that ordering vocational skills and capacity becomes an important destination.

These innovations not only meet integration requirements, but also create the foundation for forming a generation of global citizens with Vietnamese identity who are ready to work, work effectively, are not afraid of competition, and are ready to innovate and be creative.

Nurturing personality and courage for the young generation

To turn the spirit and content of the resolution into reality, how should the role of teachers, education managers, and the social community be promoted, in your opinion?

To realize Resolution 71, synchronous participation is a prerequisite, but the center is still the team of teachers and educational managers. Teachers are not only the ones who teach knowledge, but also need to become leaders, inspirers and companions in personality development.

Right in task - solution 1, the issue of raising awareness, renewing thinking and action, and determining strong political determination is placed in the first place. Thus, more than anyone else, each teacher, especially the team of managers and experts must take the lead and resolutely implement with a system of solutions - measures to ensure the legal basis as well as practical actions in the right direction and on target. Or in task - solution 5 on focusing on building the teaching force, the material facilities show that people are always concerned, but they must be people who work, think while working and are creative while working.

"Resolution 71 not only aims to train intellectuals, but also creates an environment to nurture the personality, character and national spirit of the young generation."

This requires that the training - development - remuneration policy must be substantial, beyond formality. For educational managers, it is necessary to shift from administrative management to professional, flexible management, considering learners as the center and considering innovation as the driving force.

On the social side, the role of parents, businesses, and community organizations needs to be mobilized through the open education ecosystem. Education is no longer the sole responsibility of the industry, but the shared responsibility of the whole society, especially in the current context of digital transformation and globalization.

When policies are specific and strong enough to concentrate the strength of the entire community and have funding funds, international cooperation and deep integration with domestic and foreign experts and the whole community's dedication, the power of education will increase many times when it is the work of the entire people, the entire society, the entire community. We have roles and responsibilities, but together we contribute and join hands, then every bottleneck or knot will be resolved when approached.

Education is no longer the sole responsibility of the sector, but the shared responsibility of the whole society. (Photo: Minh Hien)

As an education manager and a psychologist, what do you expect from Resolution 71 in nurturing well-rounded Vietnamese people, not only good at knowledge but also rich in personality, bravery and national spirit in the context of globalization and the digital age?

I believe that Resolution 71 will be thoroughly understood or guided in its implementation. Therefore, each person will understand more about the spirit of the Resolution as well as "master" the instructions after the Resolution.

From a personal perspective, nurturing a well-rounded Vietnamese person, not only good at knowledge but also rich in personality, character and national spirit in the context of globalization and the digital age is the aspiration of every person, of every parent, every teacher, every manager and even of every ordinary Vietnamese. It is not only a matter of conscience but also a responsibility and a duty.

We can expect that Resolution 71 will not only aim at training intellectuals, but also create an environment to nurture the personality, character and national spirit of the young generation. In the digital age and globalization, the important thing is not only to “know a lot”, but to understand and practice the right way of living, to understand how to self-study and learn to improve oneself, to understand and act authentically to maintain Vietnamese values in a multidimensional world; to understand to know where we are and to be decisive with a specific plan with “output” in the results of actions to change and develop continuously.

The emphasis on soft skills, social-emotional education, values education and global citizenship are very positive signals for us to affirm our identity while still being steadfast, confident and diverse to integrate globally. It can be expected that Vietnamese education will no longer focus on exams, but will shift to "liberal education", where each student is developed comprehensively: intelligent, compassionate, responsible for themselves and the community.

In addition, ensuring cultural security in education with foreign elements in general, along with encouraging and supporting the opening of branches and representative offices to implement Vietnamese education programs abroad, expanding the teaching of Vietnamese abroad, shows clear innovation in the direction of development, strategic dissemination, and falling points... All of that contributes to building the foundation for a country with sustainable development, not being dissolved in the flat world.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/van-hoi-moi-cua-nganh-giao-duc-bai-2-nghi-quyet-71-mo-ra-khong-gian-phat-trien-moi-hien-dai-nhan-van-hon-327228.html