The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has forecast that more than 22.1 million pupils and students will attend schools and universities this academic year.

This is also the first year for the 11^th National Party Congress Resolution's basic comprehensive education reforms so the education and training sector is implementing many specific measures to achieve its set targets.

VOV: 2011-2012 is the first academic year for implementing basic and comprehensive educational reforms. What major measures will the sector take?

Minister Luan: A wide range basic and comprehensive educational reforms will be implemented. The MoET has discussed with departments and institutes and authorized them to carry out the necessary work and research, and learn from the experience of international friends.

Another major task is for teachers and students to continue promoting and accelerating the “better learning, better teaching” campaign and the results it has achieved. We will continue to work on specific tasks to create a healthy educational environment and build an honest and transparent education system including respectable teaching, learning and examinations.

VOV: How do we develop an honest educational system?

Minister Luan: I think we should have proper awareness of the teaching and learning process. We should pay attention to both setting and enforcing standards for input, output, students, teachers, administrative officials, and each individual involved in the educational process.

Management is another key issue. We need to motivate both teachers and students, and provide them with challenges to help them train themselves.

There should also be changes in evaluation and examinations. We should promote student self-awareness and honesty in studying and taking examinations.

VOV: Improving the quality of education depends on many factors. What difficult factors should be dealt with this academic year?

Minister Luan: I think there are two main factors. First are the material facilities and equipment to meet the minimum requirements for the schools’ operation, especially in remote, mountainous, ethnic minority and island areas.

The second is teaching staff. At the national level, some areas have a shortage of teachers while many others are redundant. There is also a lack of experienced teachers that meet the required standards. The MoET is coordinating with local governments to put forth initiatives to deal with this problem.

VOV: What message do you want to deliver to teachers and students for the new academic year?

 Minister Luan: I want to send the best regards to all teachers, students and educational officials across the country. I hope they will successfully perform their set tasks. I also urge parents to pay more attention to their children, stay in close contact with the schools, and give comments on our guidelines and policies to be implemented in the upcoming academic year. In this way, we can reach the target of developing the young generation to be masters of the nation and inherit the revolutionary cause from older generations.

VOV: Thank you very much.