News and Events

The Ministry of Education and Training has banned schools and universities from hosting or co-organising Miss Teen and other beauty contests for students.

The ministry's vague statement however falls short of an outright ban and other similar talent contest will still be allowed to continue in universities and schools.

The statement was issued after several National Assembly deputies expressed concern that the extraordinarily popular Miss Teen could possibly affect the participant’s academic results.

They said the ministry should not have collaborated with the Vietnam Multimedia Corporation (VTC) to hold such a contest.

According to the ministry’s Department of Student Affairs, recent news reports claimed that the ministry had signed an agreement with VTC back in 2010 to organise annual Miss Teen contests.

However, the ministry and VTC only agreed to organise an annual Teenage Star contest.

The contest was part of a 12-point programme implemented by the two sides to help students enhance their participation in the Friendly School, Active Students campaign.

The event was supposed to be part of a wider programme to provide a comprehensive education for students, the department noted.

Under the agreement signed over three years ago, the ministry would set up an organising board, but to date it had yet to complete the task.

VTC were accused of taking advantage of the signed agreement, by unilaterally beginning its Miss Teen contest, confusing the issue and attempting to equate the expected Teenage Star contest with the Miss Teen contest. VTC organised the Miss Teen contest without any participation from the ministry.