Constant educational reforms and fierce competitiveness are partly to blame, yet it lies mainly in the attitude toward education of Vietnamese parents. Moreover, as education is believed by previous generations in Việt Nam to be the gateway to a prosperous life, they have become harsh and demanding towards their children’s education, Ánh Minh, 22, says. Along with that, it is the extreme academic competitiveness that has caused a rampant “fear of missing out” among Vietnamese parents. Thanh Thủy, 50, says she never forces her children to take extra classes unless they want to, and she only encourages her children to do their best. There has also been a rise in TV programmes which aim to change parents’ educational perspectives and rekindle their relationships with their children.
