Due to limited State budget, community funding is needed to invest in computing facilities to improve teaching computer science lessons which are going to be a compulsory subject at schools...
Due to limited State budget, community funding is needed to invest in computing facilities to improve teaching computer science lessons which are going to be a compulsory subject at schools in Khanh Hoa.
At present, as regulated by the Ministry of Education & Training, computer science is an optional subject at junior high schools and a compulsory subject at senior high schools. However, most of junior high schools do not have computer labs. Senior high schools are equipped with computer labs but with insufficient computers. Therefore, computers available for teaching have to operate at excess capacity every day, so they are rapidly damaged, impacting the quality of computer science teaching and learning, especially when the maintenance funding is also limited.
Due to the lack of computer science facilities and computers, not many students, only 11% at high schools, are provided vocational training in computer science. At present, there are more than 260 computer labs with about 4,700 computers at schools in Khanh Hoa Province. To meet the target of 2 students sharing one computer, in 2018 – 2019 school year, additional 200 computer labs, over 3,500 computers, projectors, IQ boards, smart boards, TVs, etc will be required. Specifically, additional 2,200 facilities will be in need for divisions of education & training; 1,300 for high schools, regular education and vocational training centers and so on.
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In the new general education syllabus, computer science is a compulsory subject, instead of an optional subject, for the grades 3-9. At senior high schools, this subject is chosen based on students’ career orientation and aspiration. Therefore, it is essential to improve the existing computing facilities and innovate teaching content and methods. Khanh Hoa People’s Committee has approved a policy on public funding for computers and other computing facilities at general education schools in Khanh Hoa.
The implementation of the project on public participation in investing in computing facilities for the general education is to meet the regulation of the Ministry of Education & Training in Khanh Hoa Province and students' vocational training demand; and prepare for the general education syllabus, school year 2020 – 2021, with computer science as a compulsory subject in Khanh Hoa Province. Accordingly, the project will be developed in all junior and senior high schools. Particularly, the State budget will be balanced to invest in the 2 mountainous districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh.
Khanh Hoa Department of Education & Training is in charge of directing and mobilizing investors in computing facilities at schools; and guiding schools to promote community participation in investment in facilities for teaching and learning computer science. Currently, the project has been presided over by Khanh Hoa Department of Education & Training and sent to its divisions and the proposals will be submitted to Khanh Hoa People’s Committee, according to Le Tuan Tu, Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Education & Training.
At present, science computer lessons are taught at 85/118 junior high schools, 32/32 senior high schools, 9/9 regular education and vocational training centers. There are nearly 300 qualified computing teachers at junior high schools and more than 150 others at senior high schools in Khanh Hoa.
T.Viet
Translated by N.T
