But the chief beneficiary of education is the individual. The kinbased nature of Vietnamese social organisation means that, after the individual, the family gains most from education. This is easily seen in the way the older generation rely on the young to help them to communicate with the British and understand their way of life. Though in doing so, the traditional agebased hierarchy is put in jeopardy, a source of great anxiety for many Vietnamese. Such perceptions are the background for an understanding of the Vietnamese response to British educational provision.
Opinion is generally favourable.
Of course the Vietnamese point of reference is a developing, mainly rural country emerging from years of war and stagnation, rather than an industrialised country like Britain, and so praise of the UK education system needs to be considered with this background in mind. The aspects which receive most praise are the breadth of educational opportunity and the quality of the staff and resources. The chance for all young people to continue their studies until the age of 18, with no financial burden placed on the family, is highly valued, as is the access to specialised vocational and technical training in the currently diverse 1618 year old sector. The older generation are impressed by the variety of adult education on offer and with the whole idea of 'continuing education' on which such provision is based. The Vietnamese are impressed by the schools' equipment, particularly the IT facilities.