Education

EducationSatire
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Insurrectionists Breaking English Teaching Contracts

Posted byNguyen Ayi

This article was published in coordination with presidentlardass.com, Propublica did not contribute to this article and will not return our calls.

By Joe Fotalatte

Hanoi, Vietnam –- January 6 insurrectionists who previously fled the U.S. to teach English abroad find themselves re-evaluating life decisions following rumors of a forthcoming presidential pardon. “Teaching here was supposed to be my safe harbor,” lamented Todd Flake who was photographed in Nancy Pelosi’s office with a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag wrapped around his neck. “But now, it feels like breaking my contract is harder than breaking into her office to take a dump on her desk!”

Flake’s English teaching gig had been smooth sailing at first, until he heard whispers of Trump’s plans to pardon those charged in the January 6 Capitol riot. “I thought I’d be hiding out here for a while,” he sighed. “But the idea of being pardoned feels like a chance to make a run for it back to the U.S. I might as well bring a jackhammer to my contract because, much like the Department of Education, it’s going to get obliterated!”

In a bustling café just off Hoan Kiem Lake, former rioter Mike “The Patriot” Johnson said that he never intended to leave his beloved NFL fantasy football league, yet here he was: an English teacher in Vietnam, desperately longing for touchdown updates. “I punched a cop for menacing my freedoms, and boom! Now, I’m teaching second graders about past tense verbs instead of discussing why the refs are blind as bats,” he grumbled. “I traded in my flag for a chalkboard, and the only thing I miss more than the gridiron is a good American cheese! You know, real cheese. Not that weird Happy Cow pasteurized stuff they sell here.”

Johnson reminisced about the heavenly … Read more

EducationSatire
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ESL Advertisements And HR Promises Result In Exact Salaries And Perks

Posted byNguyen Ayi

By Nguyen Ayi

 

 

ESL jobs provide a lucrative offer in the form of an advertised salary which usually comes out to be the exact amount you will get paid. No pesky confusion between gross and net income here! And if the advertised salary wasn’t enough to get you excited, don’t worry! There are loads of other bonuses such as housing and relocation packages, sign-on perks, and early start bonuses. And the best part is, you can rest assured that you will definitely receive all of these perks.

Professional development is also a huge perk of these jobs. It provides a refresher course for teachers who have been doing the exact same thing for years and years. Plus, veteran teachers get to show around new hires, like a free mentor and consultant, while the overseas hire gets relocation benefits and housing. If you are a veteran middle-aged teacher, be sure to show around the twenty-something hire making the benefits you have never received.

But wait, there’s more! Nineteen-year-old HR executives, who are fresh out of college, are in charge of hiring and they definitely have your best interests at heart. They won’t be jealous of your five times higher salary at all because, in twenty years in the midst of their career, they’ll be making 20 times that amount. These executives are generous enough to offer top-notch advice like recommending you spend three weeks in a hotel in another country before rushing back for a start date, only to later delay it for several weeks.

If they play other HR games like making you train for free and see how much of a monkey dance you will do for Children’s Day, fear not, you are a respected educator. Finally, we can’t go on without mentioning the amazing benefits of … Read more

EducationNewsSatire
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New Visa Policy Creates Opportunity To Disparage Foreigners

Posted byNguyen Ayi

by Nguyen Ayi

In a recent visa policy article, the comment section was abuzz with an unlikely hero: Phuoc My. This self-proclaimed genius took pride in belittling English teachers as nothing more than backpackers, insinuating that they were all drug addicts and pedophiles. Mr. My’s comment section grandstanding was quite the sight to behold. It was as if he was a proud rooster, crowing the loudest in the yard.

Ironically, Phuoc My is a man of limited education and probably couldn’t spell the word ‘pedophile’ if he tried. Nonetheless, he took great delight in disrespecting educators who have dedicated their lives to teaching the English language. To him, it was a great way to uplift his spirits as he went about his underpaid job. It’s safe to say that Mr. My would have gladly pursued education himself, but unfortunately, trolling online comes easier.

It should be noted that Phuoc My is actually one of VNEXPRESS’s employees. His trolling habits of calling teachers “illegal workers” have become the talk of the newsroom and have been a great way to increase the number of comments on his visa policy article. Who knew that overt racism and painting foreigners as “the other” could be so lucrative?

The saddest outcome of this ridiculousness is that teaching is no longer a respected profession. The Phuoc My’s of this world have succeeded in tarnishing the reputation of dedicated educators who are doing everything in their power to make a difference in the world. Thanks to commenters like Mr. My, it is hardly surprising to see a decline in the number of foreigners willing to come to Vietnam as English teachers. Meanwhile, Vietnam will continue to lag behind its neighbors in English proficiency, further hindering the country’s development.

In conclusion, Phuoc My can continue wearing his troll … Read more

EducationExpat VoicesNews
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Happy Labor Day To English Teachers Being Exploited!

Posted byNguyen Ayi

By Nguyen Thinh

There is a growing concern about English centers in Vietnam using part-time workers to skirt labor laws. By treating these workers as independent contractors instead of employees, these centers can avoid paying benefits and proper salaries. This not only exploits the workers but also creates an uneven playing field for those English centers that do follow labor laws and pay their employees fairly.

It is also a common practice within these centers to schedule part-time teachers with the hours many countries in Asia consider full-time teaching hours. The centers often require unpaid training hours and require daily availability.

The use of part-time workers also affects the quality of education provided by these English centers. As part-time workers, these teachers may not have the same level of commitment and investment in their students as full-time employees.

Furthermore, the high turnover rate of part-time workers can result in inconsistency and instability in the center’s curriculum and teaching methods.

English centers in Vietnam must follow labor laws and treat their workers fairly. This includes providing benefits and paying payroll taxes as required by law. Additionally, centers should invest in their employees by offering paid training and development opportunities, as well as fair wages and job security. By doing so, English centers can not only improve the quality of education they provide but also create a positive and sustainable work environment for their employees.

Currently, lacking any oversight, most English centers in Vietnam have become a Ponzi scheme for the owners, investors, and board members while the parents, students, and teachers are left behind.

Education
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New Majors And Admission Policies In 2023

Posted byNguyen Ayi

by Joe Fotalatte

Universities in Vietnam offer new majors and admission policies in 2023 including programs in veterinary, data science, Korean language, digital marketing, and more.  Here’s a breakdown of some new programs courtesy of VNA:

Foreign Trade University introduced political economy and international Economy programs at its main campus. For all three facilities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang Ninh, the overall target of admissions is 4,100.

The Hanoi University of Industry intends to launch several majors, including linguistics, smart manufacturing engineering, renewable energy, and biomedical engineering technology.

The Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance has announced the launch of a new training program in digital marketing. The school’s overall target enrollment is 6,610 students for 34 training majors.

The University of Water Resources announced that it will open three new majors, Korean Language, Chinese Language, and Economic Law, with an expected target of 40 students, as part of the project to enroll full-time undergraduate students in 2023.

A new application for Logistics and Supply Chain Management is being finished by Ho Chi Minh City University of Management and Technology. The university made an official announcement about the enrollment of students majoring in multimedia communication in 2023.

Five new majors will be available at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, including financial technology, data science, law, logistics and supply chain management, and e-commerce.

Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University has a newly established branch of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy, which will initially train doctors in traditional medicine and pharmacy.

An Giang University announced that it would open and take applications for the major in university-level formal training in a brand-new field of study, veterinary medicine.

EducationGood NewsNews
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Digital Transformation In Education

Posted byNguyen Ayi

By Joe Fotalattee

In response to the initiative “Computers For Kids,” Qualcomm Corporation has donated 2,400 mobile computers (laptops) with 4G/LTE Internet connections to educational institutions all over Vietnam. This has helped ensure that students in rural areas have access to computers and the Internet.

Qualcomm worked with the Dariu Foundation to donate computers to schools in the province of Hoa Binh. In order to “Strengthen applications” of information technology and digital transformation in education and training for the years ahead.

The program to universalize digital skills and encourage the development of STEM skills was summarized on April 14 in Hanoi by Qualcomm Corporation and Dairu Foundation.

According to Hong Nam, Deputy Director, Department of Information Technology (Ministry of Education and Training), the improvement of teachers’ and students’ digital competence and skills in schools is a major focus in carrying out a digital transformation in Education.