Universities urged to improve quality of English teaching Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha called on universities nationwide to boost the quality of English teaching to ensure that students dramatically improve their foreign language skills in the context of ever-increasingly global integration.  Minister Nha speaking at a meeting with high education directors and rectors recently said that universities should improve their teaching quality so that students either possess enough skills as entrepreneurs or no longer require retraining to operate in the workplace straight from education.    Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha called on universities nationwide to boost the quality of English teaching   According to the minister, universities needs to tighten supervision over teaching programmes, pay attention to improving English teaching and make English become the second language at universities. Earlier, a survey by recruitment firm Vietnam Works of 2,500 workers from companies of all sizes across the country about the establishment of the ASEAN Community showed that a large number of lacked confidence about regional integration. The main reasons were weak English skills as well as lack of negotiation skills to discuss salaries and working conditions with recruiters.  Pham Quang Trung, deputy head of the Vietnam College and University Association, also admitted that Vietnamese English skills were inferior to regional countries. Many graduates were incapable of speaking even the most simple of English words at interviews.  Trung noted that with greater ASEAN integration there wouldn’t be much opportunity for Vietnamese students in the working abroad if their language skills were so poor. Trung added that the association has considered the proposal to the Ministry of Education and Training that around 80% of training programmes at universities should be taught in English. This needs to be piloted at around 50 colleges and universities first. Many local education experts have pointed out widespread failures in the teaching of English. This is attributed to the fact that Vietnamese schools have only focused on English grammar and reading comprehension for the purpose of gaining good marks. As a result, both students and their teachers are barely capable of speaking and understanding English in everyday use. Poor quality teachers also contribute to this situation. At the meeting, Minister Nha asked universities to boost the use of IT in training programmes as well as the co-operation with foreign universities. Universities also need to attract foreign lecturers and scientists as well as overseas Vietnamese from English speaking countries to work. By Hong Hanh, dtinews.vn