Interview Transcript

Note: The transcript of this interview has been modified to be in proper English. The original transcript was not in proper English. This version has been modified based on my interpretation of what the interviewee was trying to say. It is accurate to a large extent. The terms used have been substituted because the interviewee lacked the vocabulary to communicate those terms to me in English.

Name of Interviewee: Phan Quy Lien
School: Nyugen Tri Phuong
Country: Hue, Vietnam
Age: 14

 

Question 1: In the Nyugen Tri Phuong School, how is the structure of the classes?

Answer: In Nyugen Tri Phuong School, there are many classes. For Grade 9, there are eight classes. In each class there are about 40 to 45 students. These students are all of the same age.

 

Question 2: How is the grading system like in Nyugen Tri Phuong.

Answer: In Nyugen Tri Phuong we have 2 times in the year when we have big tests. We have one week where we have tests on all the subjects, like English and Mathematics. After this week, we have finished all the tests. However, we still have some tests in the middle of the school year between these big tests. These tests are decided by the teachers.

 

Question 3: What is the school timing like?

Answer: In Hue, the school days for the different Grades are different. From Grade 1 to 7, the students go to school from Monday to Friday. After Grade 7, the students have to go to school on Saturdays also. We wake up early, 6 or earlier, for us to eat and bathe. School starts at 8am. We have lessons for 1 hour. School ends at 11.50am everyday. For some students, they have lessons in the afternoon. We all have lessons in the afternoons some days of the week. It is different for us all. Afternoon class will end at 6pm, after restarting at 2pm after lunch.

 

Question 4: And is this timing the same for Saturday classes?

Answer: No, Saturday classes always ends in the afternoon, at around 1pm.

 

Question 5: When does your school year start?

Answer: Our school year begins in September. School is the same all the way until June. From June to August, we have a three month holiday. After that, school starts again. I do not like this because I think it would be nicer to have more, shorter holidays.

 

Question 6: How many years of school do u have in Vietnam?

Answer: In Vietnam, we have twelve years of school, from Grade 1 to Grade 12.

 

Question 7: And must every child go to school?

Answer: Yes. Every child must go to Primary School at least. They start at six years old and end at 11 years old. Most students do not stop here, and usually finish Secondary School. That is from Grade 6 to Grade 9. After that, the students will go to Junior College, from Grade 10 to Grade 12.

 

Question 8: Tell me about the third language in Hue. Some students can study French and Japanese?

Answer: Yes. In Hue, you can choose to study an extra language in the Language Centre in the Junior College.

 

Question 9: And what time are these lessons?

Answer: These lessons are usually from 7.30pm, after school in the afternoon ends. The students will go to the Language Centre for their classes.

 

Question 10: What languages are available in the Language Centre?

Answer: The student can study English, Chinese, Japanese, German and French.

 

Question 11: Sorry, could u tell me more about the Primary Schools in Hue? What subjects do the students take?

Answer: In the primary schools, the students study all the same subjects as the students in the secondary schools. The only difference is that it is much simpler. They study: Mathematics, Vietnamese, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Physical Education, Civil Education, Health Education and many more.