Vietnamese teenagers are fragile as they are trapped in childhood

This might seem like an extreme case, but it's indicative of a larger issue many of us teaching at universities have noticed in recent years: an alarming number of students who are passive in their learning and struggle with self-study—an essential skill for education beyond high school.

This fragility among students could stem from either overprotective families or a lack of parental care and attention.

Those students who suffer from psychological issues due to a lack of parental love often lead quiet, introverted lives. They are easily susceptible to reckless behavior if influenced by the wrong crowd. Such students often attend school with indifference, frequently skipping classes, particularly those requiring teamwork or lacking special attention from instructors.

On the other hand, there are students "trapped in childhood"—as fragile as elementary or middle school children. These students struggle to keep up with their peers because their cognitive development is akin to that of a much younger child. Their minds are like full glasses of water, unable to absorb any more knowledge, no matter how simple. A defining trait of this group is their habit of reporting everything that happens at school to their parents.

I recall an instance from a few years ago when a parent called me two to three times a week to check on their child's progress, even questioning, "Why is my child required to intern while attending school?"

Some parents have gone so far as to boast about how their 20-year-old still needs them to tear meat and feed them when they come home. In another instance, a parent in the Mekong Delta sent a domestic helper to Ho Chi Minh City every week to clean and do laundry for their son.

For these students, simply attending classes regularly and completing basic homework is considered a significant achievement by their parents, like how a 5- or 6-year-old's scribbles are celebrated as a major accomplishment.

Today, many schools view students as "customers" and engage in fierce competition to attract more enrollees. While competition among educational institutions can improve the quality of education, it must not come to a point where students are too pampered.

Educating students with psychological issues requires special classes and well-trained teachers.

*Henry Nguyen is a university teacher in Ho Chi Minh City.