The Other Stories

I understand that Vietnam has chosen to use meritocracy (resources going to those who perform the best) as the basis for their educational policy in hopes that the high performing students will help to usher in economic prosperity for the whole country. Other options would be maximization (using every available resource the government has to provide the best education for all, including the disabled) or equality (resources equal per child) (Gutmann,1987).

I don’t understand what they expect the others to do, however. Our speakers admitted that there are problems in teaching and learning, but the Hoi Chi Mein work ethic suggests that just working harder is the ticket.

I want to know the stories of the others: the woman who was collecting empty water bottles outside of the bathroom of the Na Trang temple; the woman who yelled at me for saying “no” to a $1 manicure in the Hoi An market (and her children); the man who gave us his tour of the caves and then held his stomach and asked for money. Why are they hungry? How has education failed them? How does the government see them fitting into the reforms?

Much of the work we do at the community college is giving people a second or third chance. Sometimes their lack of prior success was their fault and they admit it; other times the school failed them. It is a safety net for those who made bad choices, had bad teachers, or were unlucky. What happens to the unlucky ones? Those unlucky by family background, by natural talent, by health. Is praying for luck enough?

It would not be polite to ask. It would be irresponsible not to think about it.