English proficiency survey for teachers needs to be more serious and substantial

Students of Luong The Vinh High School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City in English class - Photo: NHU HUNG

The Ho Chi Minh City Departmentof Education and Training is implementing a plan to survey English proficiency for teachers from primary to high school in the last week of April, which has created many mixed opinions.

An estimated 73,000 teachers across the city participated in the survey. Many agreed, but many were worried and complained.

Reader My Dung, a primary school teacher in Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, sent Tuoi Tre Online an article to contribute another perspective on this issue.

Concerns

Wishing to contribute a small part to improving the quality of education, I support the survey and project "Gradually making English the second language in schools".

However, this implementation still causes many concerns and pressures for teachers.

The plan to survey English proficiency for teachers of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training this time was implemented quite unexpectedly.

In fact, many teachers are confused by this survey.

When there was only information about the survey and it had not been officially implemented, many teachers passed around information about opening foreign language and computer training classes.

This makes many people worry that if they fail, they will be forced to take those courses.

Even though the Department of Education and Training's leaders affirmed that the survey results are not intended to grant certificates or evaluate teachers, many people are still worried that if the results are low, they may be eliminated in the current situation of mergers and streamlining.

Another problem is that schools are in the midst of year-end testing.

Therefore, teachers will not have much time to do surveys or cannot concentrate on doing them seriously.

That's why, the survey will give rise to countermeasures such as teachers surveying and then taking pictures, creating answer files... to send to those who do it later, or asking relatives (or even hiring someone to take the test for them), doing it hastily to finish...

Thus, the survey results certainly do not reflect the true level of current teachers, and even less so, do not achieve overall honesty in the overall results of the whole city.

Previously, when the Ministry of Education and Training required English proficiency to be included in teacher recruitment and teacher evaluation for promotion, there was a widespread situation of teachers attending courses at unprestigious centers, or attending bachelor's English classes in the style of "requiring a degree, not knowledge".

This is understandable because not everyone needs to use English in their teaching profession.

I have seen two friends who, in addition to their professional degrees, studied for a second degree in English at a university, mostly online.

Even though they have been granted a degree, when they meet a foreigner they cannot communicate, even basic greetings are very awkward.

Opportunities from surveys

In addition to some shortcomings as mentioned, it can be said that the survey is also an opportunity for teachers, reflecting the true status of English proficiency, and is an important basis for determining the need for training and development of the teaching staff.

From this English survey, teachers can improve their foreign language skills systematically, with a clear roadmap according to the direction of the department.

Being able to communicate in English as a second language demonstrates a teacher's true level and ability, contributing to improving the quality of education.

To make the survey more serious, reasonable and substantial, it is advisable to reschedule the survey to a time when teachers are relatively comfortable, such as after completing the year-end documents (maybe the end of May because this year students finished the program early).

And need to survey focused at school.

It is important to help teachers understand the purpose of the survey, and to call for teachers' honesty during the survey to obtain correct and accurate results.

We believe that with the appropriate support from the education sector, we teachers will not hesitate to change for the better every day.

Read more Back to Topics

LE THI MY DUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khao-sat-nang-luc-tieng-anh-giao-vien-can-nghiem-tuc-va-thuc-chat-hon-20250426115622951.htm