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| A traditional musical instrument class at Hue Junior School of Culture and Arts |
In recent years, this activity has been given particular attention by Hue Junior School of Culture and Arts - one of the institutions that trains students in specialized cultural and artistic fields in the heritage-rich cultural region of Hue.
Although it is only the beginning of summer 2026, this career-orientation activity has already been initiated by the school and is expected to continue through the recruitment season at the end of the year. In the spacious campus of Hue Junior School of Culture and Arts on a day in late March, more than 700 students from grades 8 and 9, representing 20 middle schools across Hue City, gathered to learn about the academic programs currently offered there.
Unlike admission models related to programs in engineering, social sciences and humanities, or economics, the school mainly trains students in specialized artistic fields. Many of these programs directly serve the preservation of the cultural heritage values of the former imperial capital.
Watching teachers and artists perform live, many students were surprised to discover training programs that are usually only seen on stage or on television. Nguyen Thu Trang, a student at Ham Nghi Secondary School (Hue City), was particularly impressed to see that the performers were actually teachers and senior students currently studying traditional musical instrument performance.
In addition to the melodies of traditional music, the instruments used in the performances were introduced in detail by the instructors. Students continuously asked questions and received explanations from the teachers, helping them better understand musical pieces, instruments, and the cultural values passed down by previous generations. “Thanks to hands-on experiences like this, I now better understand the training model, the process of becoming an artist, and future career opportunities in fields like these,” Trang shared. After the session, Trang said she was especially impressed by the dan bau (monochord) and is determined to pursue studying it in hopes of becoming an orchestra musician in the future.
Not only Trang, but most of the students who participated in the hands-on experience program felt that their passion had been inspired or that the activities had, to some extent, touched on their personal interests and talents. Through this program, they not only gained a better understanding of performing arts and musical instruments but also had the opportunity to explore related fields such as painting, vocal performance, Western musical instrument performance, and Ca Hue (Hue -Singing) performance.
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| Students participated in experiencing a dance class at Hue Junior School of Culture and Arts |
In addition to allowing students to “step into the roles” of performers, painters, and artists, the teachers also provided specific information about the training process and career opportunities after graduation. This information has, to some extent, changed students’ perspectives when considering their future career choices.
After walking around the artistic spaces inside Hue Junior School of Culture and Arts to explore, a student named Quoc Hao (from Huynh Thuc Khang Secondary School) decided to stop at the drawing room. With his natural talent and guidance from the school’s instructors, he created a series of portrait and still-life sketches that impressed many observers.
“At this point, I haven’t decided which field I will pursue yet. But drawing has been my passion since I was young. In the future, no matter what major I choose, I will still make time to attend formal drawing classes to follow my passion,” Hao said with a bright smile.
Mr. Nguyen Van Mai, M.A., Principal of Hue Junior School of Culture and Arts, said that since 2024, the school has regularly organized career-orientation and experiential activities for middle school students. In addition to inviting students to the campus for direct hands-on experiences, the school has also sent teams of staff and teachers to individual middle schools to organize traditional arts performances combined with career counseling sessions.
According to Mr. Mai, through career counseling activities, students who have talent and an interest in the arts are given direct exposure, helping them deepen their understanding of different fields of study and appreciate the beauty, creativity, and value of various art forms. This, in turn, helps them shape their decisions when choosing suitable majors and career paths after completing lower secondary school. Many middle school students have subsequently decided to enroll at the school.
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Many support and incentive policies are available for students pursuing cultural and artistic fields
Currently, there are many incentive policies as well as employment opportunities related to specialized cultural and artistic fields. Hue Junior School of Culture and Arts is offering a program that provides 100% tuition waivers for students enrolled in majors that are difficult to recruit for, including Hue classical opera performance, ethnic folk dance performance, Tuong (classical Vietnamese opera) performance, and traditional Hue instrumental performance. In addition, the school offers a 70% tuition reduction for graduates enrolling in programs such as tourism guidance, vocal performance, and Western musical instruments.
In particular, students with household registration in Hue City who enroll in artistic training programs are eligible for vocational support allowances ranging from 900,000 to 1,800,000 VND per student per semester. During their studies at the school, students will pursue both cultural education and vocational training simultaneously and participate in the national examination as required. After graduation, they will receive both an intermediate vocational certificate and a high school diploma. In addition, they are eligible to apply for entrance exams or transfer to colleges, universities, and academies nationwide. They are also supported with job placement opportunities at art troupes, cultural centers, event organization and performance companies, advertising and media enterprises, publishing houses, printing facilities, and related institutions.
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