Some dance students and their parents among the total 325 students call for help since they have not been granted diplomats after finishing all training and education programmes at the Viet Nam Accademy of Dance. VNA/VNS Photo Ha Cường

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has agreed that the Viet Nam Academy of Dance (VNAD) can award diplomas to dance students who have finished intermediate training and been granted certifications for the completion of all junior and high school education at the VNAD.

The move is a response to the request of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) to solve obstacles in training junior and high school students and granting professional diplomas to them after finishing their study programmes at the VNAD.

In a letter responding to the MoCST, the MoET said that in case the Viet Nam Dance College (now the VNAD) organises a full training programme, the VNAD should grant diplomas to students who finish the training programmes following current regulations.

It also agreed for the VNAD to issue graduation certificates to students after they have completed their junior and high school education programme.

Earlier, parents of some 325 dance students complained their children had not been granted diplomas after they had finished their professional training at the intermediate and college level at the VNAD.

It was later determined that the VNAD was not allowed to provide junior and high school compulsory education but still offered such classes.

The students and their parents sent petition letters to many agencies and authorities including the MoET and the MoCST asking for an explanation why they had been granted neither junior and high school diplomas nor intermediate dance professional diplomas after nearly seven years studying at the VNAD and finishing all the education programmes.

This even caused problems for some students who had passed the entrance exams for the University of Theatre and Performing Arts but could not study due to a lack of necessary diplomats and certifications.

Acting director of the VNAD, Trần Văn Hải, admitted at a press conference recently that there had been a "technical error".

He said the school had not registered for training inputs as junior and high school students but only registered for training for outputs as college students so it was not allowed to grant professional intermediate diplomas for the students.

At the same time, the school did not have the right to issue diplomas for junior high school or high school graduates. It had not yet linked with any continuing education centre to supplement the students with universal and compulsory study programme so this would not help them get diplomas. — VNS