Vietnamese Education Culture

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2.3. Uniform

Since the French colonialism, the culture of uniform has been kept and treasured till modern education. As a feminine culture, every child disregarding of social class is expected to be treated equally at school. The uniform is a manner to express such equality belief. Students are required to dress neatly and formally as a way to respect others.

The negative side

These cultures are proved to develop a dignified attitude in every Vietnamese student. However, they are sometimes misunderstood leading to undesired consequences.

First, despite strong emphasis for education, Vietnamese parents are not actively involved in a visible way at kids’ performance. They usually have a presumption that the teachers and school administrators to take care of educational matters.

Additionally, according to Hofstede, the power distance in Vietnam remains high (70 score1), hinting the wide gap between lecturers and students. Classes are designed in one-way with few interactions, and lectures are seen as monotonous and detached. In some cases, to avoid “interrupting class time”, students are hesitant to comment or question. This is contrary to Western classrooms where interactions and communication are more embraced.

Conclusion

Vietnamese education culture is regarded as discipline and unique. The traditions should be kept, however schools need to find a way to incorporate students into more active learning.

Reference

Fry, G. (2012) ‘Vietnam, a Nation on the Move’. The Nation [Online]. Available from: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Vietnam-a-Nation-on-the-Move-30178216.html [Accessed on 14 October 2015]

Nguyen, T. (2002) ‘Vietnam: Cultural Background for ESL/EFL Teachers’, 2 (1). Available from: http://www.vietnamesestudies.org/uploads/4/5/8/7/4587788/vietnamforesolteachersvs2002.pdf [Accessed on 14 October 2015]

Beckman-Brito, K. (n.d.) Classroom Etiquette: A Cross-Cultural Study Of Classroom Behaviors. Avalaible from: http://slat.arizona.edu/sites/slat/files/page/awp10beckman.pdf [Accessed on 14 October 2015]

1The Hofstede Centre, (2015). Vietnam - Geert Hofstede. [online] Available at: http://geert-hofstede.com/vietnam.html [Accessed 14 Oct. 2015].