CU CHUYN GIO DC TI HOA K:
BNG CP NGY NAY
B GIM GI TR

NGUYN XUN NAM
C ln, ti c dp hp tc vi mt cng ty M trong cng vic thm d kin ca hn 1000 ngܩi Vit qua in thoi v nhng vn NJ m ngܩi Vit ti Hoa K quan tm. Sau khi thm d kin, ti li c dp trao ǰi vi cng ty ny v ܮc bit rng gio dc l vn NJ m i a s ngܩi Vit chng ta quan tm nht, vܮt ln hn so vi nhng quan tm khc nh cng n vic lm, bng ng...

Nhiu ph huynh Vit Nam ti Hoa K suy ngh rng mnh sang y vo tui x chiu, ngn ng cha gii, ti nng li khng ph hp vi yu cu cng n vic lm ca ngܩi M, cho nn u c mong g thnh cng cho chnh mnh v hu ht NJu mong, hy vng rng con ci s hc hnh, ly bng cp Nj tin thn trong x hi Hoa K. Trong suy ngh , chuyn vܮt bin nm no sang M l mt hnh trnh cn mang ngha du hc.

Chuyn hc hnh l vn NJ quan tm ln nht ca ngܩi Vit ti hi ngoi, th nhng thc cht gio dc m chng ta hay con em chng ta nhn ܮc, thu np ܮc ti Hoa K nh th no? Gio dc, hc lc c tng ng vi bng cp hay hc v khng?

Trong bi vit ny, chng ti khng c nh bn su v vic so snh bng cp (diplomas) v thc ti mi cp hc, mi cp bng m ch ch trng nhiu hn v mnh bng trung hc ti Hoa K v thc trng tr thc cng nh tay ngh ca nhng hc sinh c mnh bng trung hc (hay t ti nh Vit Nam).

RT T TI, ANH I TRUNG S, EM NH...
Trܧc khi bn v mnh bng trung hc hay t ti M, chng ti mun nhc li i cht v chuyn mnh bng t ti ca Vit Nam ngy xa. C khi ngy xa y ch l hn 20 nm trܧc, nhng ngy trܧc 1975.

Thi y, chng ta thܩng hay nghe cu ht "tht hi v cng tht chua xt" l: "Rt t ti anh i trung s, em nh ly M nui con." Rt t ti l khng ܮc chnh quyn min Nam lc y gia hn min dch Nj tip tc theo ui vic hc, m phi vo qun trܩng... Tuy bun v thi hng nh vy, th nhng cng c cht NJn b l nhng ngܩi b rt cng ܮc eo lon trung s, ch khng phi binh nh. Nu bn u m khng mun hc tip m vo qun Ƕi th ܮc hܪng qun hm s quan, l khi u s nghip lm quan.

Nu khng phi i vo con ܩng qun nghip, ngܩi c mnh bng t ti, mnh bng trung hc, nu i lm th thܩng c a v trong cng s hay trong x hi.

T , chng ta c th nhn thy rng mnh bng trung hc ngy xa c gi tr kh cao v mnh bng trung hc l mt trong nhng thܧc o v trnh Ƕ thc hc, hc lc v kh nng ng dng trnh Ƕ hc lc vo ǩi sng cng kh cao.

C ngܩi cho rng ngy xa t trܩng hc v t ngܩi i hc nn mnh bng, d ch l trung hc, cng l him v qu. Khng ging nh by gi, ai cng c trnh Ƕ trung hc hay mnh bng t ti.

Th nhng, d ni g i na, hc v t ti ngy xa phn no phn nh ܮc thc hc hay hc lc ca hc sinh.

THC TRNG HC LC "T TI" M ANG B NH GI QU THP
Trn bo The San Jose Mercury News, trong mc Opinion, mt lot bi x lun v quan im ph phn nn gio dc thiu "tiu chun" (standards), hc lc km xa vi hc v ca cc nh trܩng ti Hoa K. Nhng bi c NJ ta nh "Real World Has Standards; So Should Schools," hay "Todays Diplomas Dont Mean Much To Employers" hay "How Well Prepared Are Students?" hay "What a School Should Do" v "See Workers Read".

Ni dung chnh ca nhng bi ni trn l trnh Ƕ (kin thc ln tay ngh) thp ca hc sinh lm cho mnh bng t ti mt gi tr v mt i s tn nhim ca gii ch nhn cc cng ty thu mܧn nhn vin.

X HI K VNG G NI MNH BNG TRUNG HC?
Ngay trong cu m u bi x lun c ta NJ "Real World Has Standards; So Should Schools" c on: "Bng t ti phi xc nhn trnh Ƕ am hiu nhng kh nng (k nng) v kin thc cn bn, ch khng phi ch l s hin din trong trܩng trung hc. iu ny l ra khng phi l kin tranh lun, nhng tri li, n l."

Ngay c Thng c Pete Wilson ca tiu bang California v Delaine Eastin -ngܩi ph trch ngnh gio dc cng lp ca tiu bang California- cng by t cng mt lp trܩng: Mun mnh bng t ti ca tiu bang phi gn cht vi s thng hiu cn bn ca cc k nng v kin thc.

Nhiu ngܩi trong c Delaine Eastin ln n v nn gio dc trung hc ca Hoa K ni chung, v ca California ni ring, v nn gio dc trung hc ti Hoa K khng c tiu chun hc lc m tri li ch trng vo s hin din trong trܩng hc: "Chng ta l quc gia duy nht trn tri t ny pht bng cp ch v hc sinh ngi trn gh nh trܩng trung hc ܮc bn nm" (were the only nation on Earth that gives a diploma for sitting in a chair for four years).

Nh th, tiu chun l g? Bi x lun ni trn ca bo The San Jose Mercury News vit nh sau: "Standards can mean just about anything -or nothing. To qualify students for a job or a place in college, standards must be teachable and testable. They must focus on skills and knowledge, not on personalities and feelings. They must be relevant and rigorous..." (Tiu chun c ngha l bt c iu g -hoc chng c iu g c. hc sinh tm ܮc vic lm hay ܮc thu nhn vo trܩng i hc, tiu chun phi l iu c th dy ܮc v c th kim tra ܮc. Tiu chun gio dc phi nhn mnh ljn cc k nng v kin thc, khng phi v nhn cch v tnh cm. Tiu chun gio dc phi tng ng, hp l v khoa hc...). Nh vy, tiu chun gio dc l nhng g c th dy ܮc, kim tra ܮc, nh gi ܮc nh kin thc v k nng.

Trong thc t, cc cng ty thܩng thu mܧn cng nhn c kh nng džc ܮc cc sch hܧng dn k thut, džc ܮc cc s biu , vit ܮc cc bn tܩng trnh, c kh nng bn tho cc vn NJ theo nhm, dng ton Nj gii cc vn NJ v c ch theo ui hc nhng k nng mi.

Hn nhin, gii ch nhn ca cc cng ty u c mun trܩng hc o to cho hc sinh nhng k nng chuyn mn hp m h mong mun thu nhn nhng hc sinh c cn bn kin thc v phng php p dng kin thc hc ܮc t trong nh trܩng Nj hon thnh cng vic ܮc giao. L do m gii ch nhn khng mun hc sinh c nhng k nng chuyn mn hp bi v hin nay s thay ǰi cng vic tng nhanh, k nng c nhanh chng tr nn lc hu v hn na, cc cng ty cn c nhng chng trnh hun luyn cng nhn.

y l nhng tiu chun gio dc v n l nhng yu cu t thc t m nhng yu cu ny l nhng ni dung c th dy ܮc v nh gi ܮc. Trܩng hc l ni o to cho hc sinh nhng tiu chun m thc t x hi cn. Hc sinh tt nghip phi chng t mnh c nhng nng lc ; nu khng, mnh bng ch l mt tm giy chng nhn thi gian "mi ng qun" trn gh nh trܩng m thi, khng c hc lc tng ng vi hc v.

Nu chp nhn mt cn bn lun nh th, chng ta thy rng hc sinh tt nghip trung hc phi p ng cc yu cu, nhng tiu chun ca th gii tht Nj kim ܮc vic lm hoc l khng th no kim ܮc cng vic c ng lng hu h.

Hu ht hc sinh NJu thng minh Nj p ng nhng tiu chun hc lc nu h hiu rng nhng tiu chun tht l cn thit cho h Nj kim ܮc vic lm hay ܮc nhn vo cc trܩng i hc c ting.

Khng t ܮc nhng tiu chun cn thit , cnh ca vo trܩng i hc ln hay tm ܮc vic ng hong c ng lng hu h b khp li.

Tuy vy, khng phi ai cng ng vi yu cu hc lc phi tng ng vi hc v hay vi kin thc v k nng phi sng i vi mnh bng. Trong nhng nhm phn i vn NJ yu cu tiu chun ha bng cp, ngܩi ta ch nhiu ljn nhng hc sinh gc Phi Chu hay gc Chu M La Tinh. L lun chng tiu chun ha bng cp nh sau: Vi yu cu tiu chun cao, nhng hc sinh ny s thi hng v nh vy, s kh tm vic hn. V mt s ngܩi no cn tin rng: "a no-standards diploma is better than no diploma at all" (Th c bng cp m khng c tiu chun hc lc g cn hn l khng c bng). Quan nim "c cn hn khng" ny ܮc ng h bi mt s gia nh ngho, cc ph huynh gc Phi Chu v chu M La Tinh bi nhiu ngܩi ngh rng "poor kids cant learn" (tr em ngho khng th hc) nh Delaine Eastin ni.

THC TRNG MNH BNG TRUNG HC CA HOA K TH NO?
c qua bi bo ca Joanne Jacobs trn bo San Jose Mercury News ni trn, chng ta hnh dung mt bc tranh ton cnh khng my sng sa ca nn gio dc Hoa K.

Trong mt cuc thm d gn y ca Public Agenda, gn nh mt na s ngܩi tr li cho bit rng vic c ܮc mnh bng t ti t mt trܩng trung hc a phng khng h bo m cho hc sinh mt s thng hiu kin thc cn bn. Cng nh cu nhn xt ni ting ca gim c ngnh gio dc cng lp ca tiu bang California, Delaine Eastin, khi ni rng: "Chng ta l quc gia duy nht trn tri t ny pht bng cp ch v hc sinh ngi trn gh nh trܩng trung hc ܮc bn nm". Nhn chung, hc lc ca hc sinh trung hc Hoa K khng th hin ܮc yu cu hay tiu chun cng vic.

T thc trng ny, thܩng c hai cch m cc cng ty phi ng ph khi thu mܧn nhn vin.

Cch th nht l cc cng ty trܧc khi quyt nh tuyn nhn nhn vin gn lc k hc lc ca nhn vin qua cch thm nh ring ca mnh. Thng thܩng, khng c cng ty no yu cu ngܩi np n xin vic phi np h s phiu im hay bng cp ngoi tr trong mt s hon cnh ǥc bit nh bng cp l mt yu cu lin quan trc tip i vi cng vic lm bi nu cng ty yu cu bng cp mt cch khng ph hp, cng ty c th b kin v ti "unlawful discrimination" (s k th bt hp php). Chnh v vy, Nj bo m cho s an ton cn thit, nhiu cng ty NJ ra h thng thm nh ring ca mnh Nj o hc lc ca ngܩi xin vic. Gii lnh o ca Business Roundtable cn cho bit rng hn mt na s ngܩi np n xin vic thi rt bi thi tuyn dng vi trnh Ƕ i hi kh nng džc ch lp 7 hoc l lp 8 m thi. Hu ht nhng ngܩi np n c bng t ti v mt s cn c bng tt nghip cao ǣng (hay i hc cng ng). ng Jerry Jacobs, lnh o ca hng Pacific Telesis, cn cho bit: "Nhng iu m ti cn nghe ܮc Business Roundtable l thܩng thܩng gii ch nhn cn yu cu bng i hc ch Nj bo m rng ngܩi ܮc thu c kh nng bit džc thng vit tho m thi."

Ngoi nhng trܩng hp trn, chng ta cn c mt vi v d khc nh trܩng hp hng Nynex v Ameritech. Hng Nynex mun tuyn 3000 nhn vin, nhng cho kim tra kin thc ljn 60 ngn ngܩi np n. Hng Ameritech thu mt trong mܩi ngܩi m hng ny phng vn. S cn li khng trnh Ƕ vܮt qua k kim tra cn bn trong mn džc, vit, ton v lun l cn bn.

ng Louis Gerstner, mt CEO ca hng IBM, cn than rng: "Chng ti c th dy h nhng g h cn Nj iu khin chic my hoc pht trin k hoch tip th. iu git chng ti l phi dy h džc, tnh ton... v suy ngh."

Thc trng l nh th. Cho nn, d c bng cp, nhng khng c hc lc tht s th khng th vܮt qua cc k thi st hch tuyn dng m cc cng ty NJ ra.

Nh th, mt trong nhng vn NJ rt cn bn l phi c gng hc tht ng hong Nj c kin thc tht, hc lc tht, ch khng phi ngi mi ng qun trn gh nh trܩng cho nm thng Nj ly mnh bng. Khng nhng hc sinh tt nghip trung hc, nhng c cu t mi c tnh trng nh th ny, m mt s ngܩi ln c khi cng chy theo "bng cp", chy theo "hc v", tm mi cch Nj c bng "masters", "doctors"... d hc trܩng "xm" hay trܩng "lng" m khng ǥt nng vn NJ hc lc.

Cn "bnh snh bng" c khi khng t to thm gi tr cho mnh m cn nh hܪng xu ljn cc th h sau bi thay v ch trng thc cht, hc lc li ch trng bng cp, d l bng cp t tn trܩng m khng dm nu ra.

Cch th hai m cc cng ty phi ng ph trܧc tnh trng hc lc km ca nhng ngܩi mi ܮc tuyn vo l s o to b sung, s hun luyn b (remedial training). Tnh trng ny ngy cng gia tng. Vo nm 1989, ch c 4% cng ty cung cp dch v hun luyn b cho nhn vin, th nhng con s ny ln ljn 20% vo nm 1994.

Vin CEO ca Motorola cho bit cng ty ny b ra 1350 M kim Nj o to b sung cho mi cng nhn nhng kin thc cn bn.

D nhin, khng mt c s thng mi nh no c th chu ni chi ph ny, do vy, nhng c s ny ngi nhn nhng hc sinh mi ra trܩng.

MT VI SUY NGH
Sau khi tham kho nhng ti liu lin quan ljn vn NJ thc hc ca hc sinh c bng trung hc ngy cng suy gim, ngy cng tt hu, chng ta thy rng thc trng ny cn phi thay ǰi. Giai on hc hnh cho ra ng ra khoai phi bt u t lp mt ch khng phi t nm th nht i hc. Ph huynh Vit Nam vn d ni ting quan tm v vic hc ca con ci cng thy vn NJ ny tht nghim trng hn v hܧng dn con ci ph hp hn.

Nhn xt th hai l cc cng ty thu ngܩi, nu c i hi bng cp i na, bng cp phi c ngha tht s, phi c hc lc ch t l phi tng xng vi bng cp. C khi ngܩi ln cng trnh tnh trng "mua bng" cho oai m iu ny cng c nh hܪng tiu cc cho con ci sau ny. Chnh Maureen DiMarco, mt c vn gio dc ca Thng c, cng ni rng "seat-time-only diploma" (bng cp nh ngi thi gian trong trܩng) chng gip ch g cho hc sinh cng nh cho cng ty. C thng c Pete Wilson v Eastin cng NJu mun bng cp phi l mt biu hin ca thc hc. Pete Wilson NJ ngh "Bng ca Thng c" v Eastin NJ ngh bng Golden State Diploma Nj xc lp gi tr tht s ca mnh bng da vo thc hc, p ng ܮc tiu chun cao trong cc mn hc. Chnh Jacobs cng ni rng: "Nu chng ta c bng trung hc d theo kiu g chng na m mnh bng gn vi tiu chun cao th tht l mt bܧc tin nhy vt. l chuyn ca x hi. Trong phm vi gia nh, nu chng ta gio dc v hun luyn con em theo tinh thn tn trng s hc, con em chng ta s c kh nng cao hn Nj cnh tranh trong mt x hi y cnh tranh ny.

Bn cnh nh trܩng, ph huynh l ngܩi gp phn ng k trong vic hc ca con em. Theo Eastin, ph huynh cn "trao ǰi vi cc em nhng g m cc em cn Nj thnh cng." V gim c gio dc cng lp ca tiu bang ny cn ni thm: "Ti chn ljn tn c khi nghe chuyn rng con ci ti ly ܮc bng (hc v) v khng th džc ܮc bng (hc lc)."

Hc v hay mnh bng cng l mt iu cn, nhng ci cn hn vn l hc lc hay thc cht bi nh Joanne Jacobs vit ngay ta NJ "Todays Diploma dont Mean Much To employers" (bng cp ngy nay khng c gi tr lm i vi cc cng ty."

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