The number of applicants for university admission this year has fallenall over the country, with many of last year's unsuccessful candidatesreportedly opting for vocational schools instead of another crack atuniversity entrance exams.
The number has fallen by up to half in some provinces, preliminary figures released by local education departments show.
Thedeadline for submitting applications through education departments wasApril 14 though candidates have one more week to apply directly touniversities and colleges.
Thanh Hoa province's Department of Education and Training said it received 90,000 applications, 2,000 less than last year.
In Hai Duong, the number plunged by nearly 50 percent.
NguyenVan Xung, head of the local education department's Vocational Office,said many candidates who failed to get into universities and collegeslast year joined vocational schools instead of again taking theuniversity entrance examinations this year, leading to a dramatic fallin applications.
Dong Nai is one the few provinces for whichfigures have been released that actually saw an increase. The Departmentof Education and Training received 50,000 applications, 2,000 more thanlast year.
But this was mostly due to an increase of 1,000 in the number of 12th grade students this year, officials said.
Unlikeprevious years, most candidates this year have mostly applied touniversities and colleges near their hometowns instead of those in bigcities and provinces.
Khanh Hoa's Department of Education and Training said both phenomena occurred in the province this year.
AtAn Duong High School in Hai Phong, which received more than 900applications from its students for forwarding to the local educationdepartment, only 50 are for universities and colleges in Hanoi,according to its enrolment board.
The rest were for local universities, it added.
Themost popular streams this year are economics and technology, whilesocial sciences and humanities being at the other end of the scale.
Studentsof Viet Duc High School in Hanoi submitted more than 2,200applications, with half opting for economics and technology; only threehave chosen social sciences and humanities.
At Mac Dinh Chi HighSchool in HCM City's District 6, only a few out of the 2,900applications are for social sciences and humanities./.
The number has fallen by up to half in some provinces, preliminary figures released by local education departments show.
Thedeadline for submitting applications through education departments wasApril 14 though candidates have one more week to apply directly touniversities and colleges.
Thanh Hoa province's Department of Education and Training said it received 90,000 applications, 2,000 less than last year.
In Hai Duong, the number plunged by nearly 50 percent.
NguyenVan Xung, head of the local education department's Vocational Office,said many candidates who failed to get into universities and collegeslast year joined vocational schools instead of again taking theuniversity entrance examinations this year, leading to a dramatic fallin applications.
Dong Nai is one the few provinces for whichfigures have been released that actually saw an increase. The Departmentof Education and Training received 50,000 applications, 2,000 more thanlast year.
But this was mostly due to an increase of 1,000 in the number of 12th grade students this year, officials said.
Unlikeprevious years, most candidates this year have mostly applied touniversities and colleges near their hometowns instead of those in bigcities and provinces.
Khanh Hoa's Department of Education and Training said both phenomena occurred in the province this year.
AtAn Duong High School in Hai Phong, which received more than 900applications from its students for forwarding to the local educationdepartment, only 50 are for universities and colleges in Hanoi,according to its enrolment board.
The rest were for local universities, it added.
Themost popular streams this year are economics and technology, whilesocial sciences and humanities being at the other end of the scale.
Studentsof Viet Duc High School in Hanoi submitted more than 2,200applications, with half opting for economics and technology; only threehave chosen social sciences and humanities.
At Mac Dinh Chi HighSchool in HCM City's District 6, only a few out of the 2,900applications are for social sciences and humanities./.
