Improving the quality of university preparatory training programs

GD&TĐ - The Ministry of Education and Training has just issued Circular No. 20/2025/TT-BGDĐT on the Program of preparatory university training subjects (Circular 20).

This is considered an important step to meet the need for knowledge training for ethnic minority students who have graduated from high school.

Increasing school autonomy

Mr. Le Huu Thuc - Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University Preparatory School (DBDH), the DBDH program according to Circular 20 brings many important changes, focusing on increasing the school's initiative and diversifying the subject combination.

Regarding the time frame, according to Mr. Thuc, although the training period is still 1 school year with 28 weeks of actual study, the new point is that the principals of the DBDH schools are given the right to decide the school year plan, using the remaining time to organize review, final exams and other activities.

The proactive arrangement of time allows schools to adjust to the students' entry level, thereby increasing the autonomy and responsibility of the school. Regarding the subject combination, the new program has diversified, allowing students to be trained in three cultural subjects according to the combination used for admission.

“Notably, the program has added new subjects in line with the 2018 General Education Program, namely Economic and Legal Education, Information Technology, and Technology. The program is designed in a synchronous manner, focusing on developing capacity and qualities, with a flexible structure (about 70% core content, 30% elective) to help schools and teachers be flexible in their teaching plans,” said Mr. Thuc.

To effectively implement the new program, Mr. Thuc said that DBĐH schools need to have thorough preparation. Regarding human resources, it is necessary to organize training for teachers, especially 3 new subjects, and at the same time develop a detailed teaching plan for the 28-week framework.

In terms of facilities, the addition of subjects such as Information Technology and Technology requires investment in additional specialized classrooms, upgrading laboratories and preparing updated documents and learning materials. In terms of organization, schools need to be thoroughly prepared in dividing classes according to subject groups, managing combined classes and updating and amending internal regulations accordingly.

Assessing the impact of the program, the Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education affirmed that the new program will have a positive impact and improve the opportunity to enter university for ethnic minority students. The specialization of knowledge, focusing on subjects in the admission combination helps ethnic minority students quickly fill the knowledge gap, increasing their competitiveness. The 28-week study schedule with 30 periods/week is also reasonably distributed, helping students not to be overloaded.

In addition, the program also helps develop comprehensive capacity by dedicating 3 periods/week to physical training and educational activities. This helps students equip themselves with soft skills, social skills, financial management... These are key factors to help them become more confident, better integrate into the university environment and reduce the dropout rate. This training program also ensures the connection of knowledge between high school and university, helping students have a clear orientation from an early age.

“Circular 20 is an important step forward, shifting the DBĐH program to oriented training and capacity development, helping ethnic minority students to be equipped with sufficient knowledge and skills, thereby directly improving the quality of input and improving their opportunities for successful study at university level,” said Mr. Thuc.

Successful candidates complete admission procedures at Ho Chi Minh City University Preparatory School. Photo: NTCC

Creating university opportunities for ethnic minority students

Sharing about this change, MTH - an ethnic minority student studying at the school, said, "In the past, we were worried because we had to study widely, while our basic knowledge in high school was still weak. With the new program, we can focus maximum time on the 3 subjects that will be used for university admission."

“This helps me reduce pressure and gain more confidence in learning. My family and I believe that this change will help me and many others like me have a better chance of entering the university of our dreams,” H. shared.

According to experts, Circular 20 has a positive impact on ethnic minority students and enrollment, helping to systematize general knowledge, meet diverse needs, and better prepare ethnic minority students for university.

The program is flexibly structured, proactively built by the school, helping to ensure overall quality; at the same time, it is suitable for local conditions, creating opportunities for ethnic minority students to access advanced knowledge and skills necessary for university study.

Ms. Tang Thi Ngoc Mai - a delegate of the 14th National Assembly, acknowledged that according to Circular 20, the Program helps ethnic minority students consolidate and systematize high school cultural knowledge; at the same time, it provides advanced content and topics suitable to the wishes of learners, helping them have a more solid knowledge foundation to enter university.

In addition, having a systematic training program that is suitable to students' abilities and needs will help them be better prepared, thereby increasing their opportunities and ability to succeed when applying to university.

The 2025-2026 school year will begin implementing the new University Preparatory Course Program, which is built on the basis of the 2018 General Education Program (issued with Circular No. 32/2018/TT-BGDDT). Therefore, promulgating the University Preparatory Course Program is an urgent task for the University Preparatory Schools to promptly implement.

The Ministry of Education and Training said that in the context of innovation and integration, the need for developing high-quality human resources, especially human resources for ethnic minority and mountainous students, is becoming increasingly necessary. The University of Pedagogy is the place to create and train a team of ethnic minority students capable of studying at universities nationwide in many different majors. Therefore, the promulgation of the Program of subjects for training University of Pedagogy is the foundation to ensure quality, consistency and long-term strategic orientation for education in University of Pedagogy.

The issuance of the Program of subjects for training DBĐH also concretizes the ethnic policy of the Party and State towards children of ethnic minorities; contributes to ensuring fairness in access to education, minimizing the difference in education quality and human resource quality between regions in the country.

The program has a flexible structure with about 70% of the content and duration being compulsory; 30% of the content and duration is for the school to proactively develop a plan and learning content for students in accordance with the needs of the students and the conditions of the school. The issuance of the Circular has a positive impact on lecturers and students at preparatory colleges.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/nang-chat-chuong-trinh-boi-duong-du-bi-dai-hoc-post755529.html