Why is tertiary education important? - Guest blog by CEF's Kim Chi

I have a chance to talk with CEF’s tertiary students when we did home visits. I feel empathy and happy when CEF’s students share their feelings openly. I used to be a university student for 5 years and therefore I understand how hard it is for both the freshmen and the final year university students. It’s not only a struggle, but there is also the opportunity for fun during the university student time.

 Two of CEF’s freshmen shared their feelings recently about how everything is strange and they felt a little nervous about their first time of being in a big city. As well as that change, they have classmates, roommates and teachers who all come from different areas and they don’t find it easy to understand all the different Vietnamese accents. Nevertheless, they adapt quickly.

 Their universities recently had celebrations to welcome all the freshmen. The socializing helped to break barriers and made it easier to make friends. Although being a university student has challenges they learn many life skills in the process. They have to become independent in all ways. They also have a chance to meet many kinds of people, make many different friends, and widen their knowledge about the subjects they study, but also learn about the life of a student and about life.

One student in her last year of university shared her experience with seeking part-time work as a tutor. She had to pay commission to the employment center. Then they weren’t honest and misled her about a job where there already was a tutor. She said “I will never go again to ask for a job from an employment center.” She had a very different recent experience from which she derived great pleasure; she sold flowers on ‘Vietnamese Women Day’ with her girlfriends. Although they only made a little profit, they had an enjoyable new experience that demanded patience.

If they didn’t go to university they wouldn’t have these interesting experiences. Tertiary education is not only important for their future, but also they can learn many things from their student-life.

(Part of working with the university students is listening and hearing what they really need.  Kim Chi here is helping load a computer onto one of the students motorbikes as this student needed one)