NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY

ADVANCED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

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Subject: Principles of Management

GROUP ASSIGNMENT REPORT

Chapter 7: THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS

Instructor: PhD Do Thi Hai Ha

Name: To Thuy Lan - 11186124
Le Thanh Ha - 11181311
Nguyen Quynh Chi - 11180777
Vu Thi Thu Huong - 11182188
Dinh Van Yen Thanh - 11184433
Class: Advanced International Business
Administration 60A

Hanoi, 2020
 TABLE OF CONTENT

BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................................1
THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.......................................................................................2
Step 1: Identify and define the problem......................................................................................2
1. Identify the problem........................................................................................................2
2. The decision of solving problem.....................................................................................4
Step 2: Generate and evaluate the decision...............................................................................5
Option 1: Allowing students to stay at home.........................................................................5
Option 2: Allowing students to come back to school with supervision...............................5
Option 3: Allowing only K-12 students to come back to schools.........................................6
Step 3: Choose a preferred course of action.............................................................................6
Evaluate the options...........................................................................................................6
Choose the best option........................................................................................................8
Step 4: Implement the decision....................................................................................................8
1. Plan....................................................................................................................................8
2. Executions.........................................................................................................................8
Step 5: Evaluate Results............................................................................................................10
Successes.................................................................................................................................10
Drawbacks.............................................................................................................................10
Evaluation..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCE...............................................................................................................................12
 BACKGROUND

The Ministry of Education and Training is an agency of Government of the

Socialist Republic of Vietnam, performing the function of state management of preschool,
general education, pedagogy, and college violations, tertiary education and other
educational institutions on: Educational objectives, programs and contents; regulations on
examination, enrollment and diplomas and certificates; develop the contingent of teachers
and educational managers; school facilities and equipment; quality assurance, education
quality accreditation: state management of public non- business services under the
Ministry’s state management.

At present, Covid 19 is one of the global pressing issues, due to its high
infectiousness and casualty. According to WHO, at 16:00 20 Feb 2020 there were 75747
cases, 2129 deaths worldwide. In Vietnam, there are 16 cases with 15 successfully cured,
while other 504 cases are under surveillance. In order to control the epidemic, the
Ministry of Education needs to make decision whether to let students comeback to their
schools or not.

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 THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS

In this paper, we would analyze the decision to temporarily close schools in the mid of
Covid-19 by the Ministry of Education and Training. The process of making this decision
is illustrated below, following 5 steps: Identify and define the problem; Generate and
evaluate the decision; Choose a preferred course of action; Implement the decision and
Evaluating results.

Step 1: Identify and define the problem

1. Identify the problem
 Cause of the problem: The outbreak of CoVid-19 and its consequences to people’s
health.
In the mid of December 2019, the nCoV epidemic started to appear in Wuhan
province after that for a rapid infection from human to human, the disease broke out not
only China but also other countries in the world including Vietnam. According to
Ministry of Health (VietNam) there are 12024 people infected and 259 people died. And
the best explanation for this rapid spread is that this newly discovered pathogen — SARS-
CoV-2 — is being passed through droplets from coughing or sneezing. When these virus-
laden droplets from an infected person reach the nose, eyes, or mouth of another, they can
transmit the virus”. Vietnam shares borders with China and variety of activities connected
two countries such as: import and export agricultural, exported labor, tourist and so on.
This can be premise for the outbreak of virus in Vietnam. Students below 18 years old
have poor resistance, they are sensitive groups, as the old. Whereas, university students
come from different provinces and often gather in crowded places, this can facilitate the
outbreak of virus.
Timeline of the widespread of coronavirus:
 31/01/2020: Coronavirus declared global health emergency by WHO.
 01/02/2020: Vietnam Prime Minister announced acute respiratory tract
inflammation through decision number “117/QĐ - TTg”.

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 02/02/2020: Vietnam has 7 n-Cov 19 cases in: Ho Chi Minh, Thanh Hoa, Vinh
Phuc. In other words, each of region in the country has at least one case.

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The following graphs show the danger of the virus:

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 Therefore, in the situation that the complicated epidemic is not yet under control
by Vietnamese government, it is imperative that the Ministry of Education and Training
had effective solution to protect students from the disease.

 Identify the problem

Deprived from the data above, there is a high possibility of Covid-19 epidemic
outbreaking in educational institutions. What will Vietnamese Ministry of Education
and Training decide in order to protect students, teachers and staff in response to this
issue?

2. The decision of solving problem 

Preventing the spread of Covid-19 outbreak, thus, has become an urgent issue.
Students, at the time when Covid-19 was discovered, were on Tet holiday and once they
return to school, the crowd can widespread the disease. If the Ministry of Education does
not take measures to handle the situation immediately, the results can be unpredictably
dreadful, which also will lead to the loss of trust among students and parents. However, if
the Ministry decides to extend suspension, school curriculums are directly affected. As
the leading organization of education and training, it is necessary to take measures and
solve the educational situation for students in this dilemma.

 Decision goals
- Prevent disease outbreak in schools and university.
- Students’ study is not interrupted.
 Evaluating criteria
- Be able to prevent outbreak within students and teachers.
- Make sure students’ courses are not interrupted.
- Help parents be less worried.
- Cost for preventing preparations.

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Step 2: Generate and evaluate the decision.
Option 1: Allowing students to stay at home.

The safest decision can be made is that school and universities allow students to be
at home. However, it is not easy to implement. We can do this by opening online class for
student as well as educate the student how to prevent this virus.

About the advantage of this decision. It is clear that this option is the best way to keep all
Vietnamese citizens in safe situation. It is impossible to know what every student did and
where they went during the Tet holiday while in our country, there are 16 people are
confirmed to be in positive case with Covid-19. The situation become more and more
complicated day by day so we need to restrict assembling as much as possible. Students
staying at home is a good chance for government and medical organization to control the
virus. It is easier to monitor and isolate the region where the patients live.

In contrast, many people concern whether it is essential for all the school and
universities to extend the suspension or not. For example, provinces like Quang Nam or
Da Nang are far from Vinh Phuc, the center of the outbreak. If the holiday is continued,
the student become lazier and it also affect the learning schedule. In fact, there are a lot of
school and universities do not have enough facilities to open online class. Besides, many
people argue about the quality and the result of online class while the cost for it is not
economical to set up an online learning system. Lastly, many adults have to worry so
much for their children because they go to work and it is hard for them to manage as well
as take care their children. Leaving children stay at home is also dangerous.

Option 2: Allowing students to come back to school with supervision.

Another decision can be made is that the Ministry allows student to come back to
school with surveillance. To enact this option, schools and universities must make sure
that all their students have protecting equipment like masks and others medical devices.
Classes should be sterilized and provisional medical equipment be installed in the

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proximity. Moreover, reducing the quantity of students in a class to limit the exposure
opportunities among classmates is a good suggestion.

This option seem to be complicated but in return, the learning schedule of students
will not affected.

However, this decision also has some disadvantages. Compare with the benefit, the
cost may be much higher. It is difficult for some schools to supply and provide medical
equipment, some school in the suburb for instance. Another challenge is that the Ministry
can guarantee learning schedule but they cannot guarantee the safety of all students. If
there is only one student are tested to be positive with virus corona, it is extremely
dangerous for not only the whole school but also the community. In addition, it is difficult
to manage all the students, whether they obey all the regulations or not.

Option 3: Allowing only K-12 students to come back to schools.

The third decision is a combination of the first and second option. There is no need
to repeat how to do or show detail plan because it is available in two previous option.

It is true that student at universities come from different region so it’s hard to
restrict and control them. In contrast, students from each high school or secondary or
primary school often live in the same region. Moreover, syllabus and timetable of college
students are flexible so they can stay at home and self-study. Meanwhile students at K-12
level need instructions from teachers and their learning schedules are fixed.

About the pros, it will be a combination of the two previous decisions. The
schedule will not be affected but there are risks on infection. It is impossible to guarantee
that 100% students are safe anyway. However, the situation would be more well under
control.

Step 3: Choose a preferred course of action

 Evaluate the options

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 This report will choose the most suitable option by analyzing factors through the classical
model. We evaluate three options with four criteria as mentioned in Step 1:
1. Be able to prevent outbreak within students and teachers.
2. Make sure students’ courses are not interrupted.
3. Help parents be less worried.
4. Cost for preventing preparations.

Option Criteria 1 Criteria 2 Criteria 3 Criteria 4

1. All Yes. The less No. Study Yes. It is easier for Cost for
students interact between process will be parents to control prolonging the
stay at people, the delayed or need their children’s school year.
home  smaller risk is.  time to catch activities and Cost for e-learning
up.  health status.  platforms.

2. All No. It is Yes. No.  Cost for cleaning

students absolutely harder classrooms.
come for society to Cost for providing
back to control the masks, hand wash
schools epidemic.  and medical
equipment.
3. Only No. K-12 students Yes. No. Parents worry Cost for medical
K-12 can still infect. Universities for children’s equipment
students have flexible safety at schools. Cost for creating
comeback schedules. online learning
to schools platforms for
universities.

 Choose the best option: Based on the table, first option is the best alternative.

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Step 4: Implement the decision

1. Plan

Before implementing the decision, the Ministry of Education works out a plan to
enforce the decision. Firstly, relevant agencies have the responsibility to carry out the
direction work and the plans must point out the authority of related parties. Therefore, the
Ministry of Education has issued a letter stating the responsibilities of the departments of
education about epidemic prevention.

Secondly, relevant agencies have to coordinate with the department to implement

the decision. The provincial education departments coordinate with the provincial health
department to carry out epidemic prevention. 

Thirdly, related stakeholders have the responsibility to implement the decision,

subordinate officials must follow instructions and directions of superiors. In this plan, the
Ministry of Education needs to mobilize material resources and information to serve the
task of preventing the epidemic. Furthermore, the plan must point out specific time and
locations.

Based on the plan, the Ministry of Education implements the decision. The
Ministry of Education has sent dispatches to the Department of Education about carrying
out epidemic prevention. The Department of Education has the responsibility to issue an
official announcement about epidemic prevention to all schools and universities.

2. Executions

During student’s absence, the Department of Education directs school and

universities to carry out epidemic prevention by cleaning the classrooms, schools,
cleaning kitchen utensils, teaching equipment, personal belongings of students and
teachers. The school is equipped with masks, thermometers to check the body temperature
of students when detecting cases of fever or cough and difficulty breathing. Especially,
kindergartens clean toys and devices. For example, the Department of Education in Da
Nang has cooperated with the Department of health to train managers of preschool,

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primary school, secondary school, and high school how to prevent and combat epidemics,
prepare the plan to spray disinfectants at school.

Universities must ensure hygiene to student hostel by disinfecting rooms in hostel

and they also have isolated areas for students with symptoms of nCoV. At the hostel of
Ho Chi Minh University, at the entrance is a place to measure the body temperature and
next to the hand wash basin, a mask and an antibacterial.

Besides, each school and university is required to have medical staff on duty ready
to respond to all cases. All of the school officials and teachers must also be trained in how
to prevent the epidemic. The health department also has to send health workers to check
and monitor the epidemic prevention work of schools. Under the supervision of the
authorities, the schools have followed the direction of the department. In Haiphong, at
Mac Dinh Chi high school, directing epidemic prevention work is neglected so the
principle of this school was transferred.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Education not only propaganda on the Ministry of

Education wed about how to prevent nCoV and consequences of this disease, but also
develop plans for training facilities for teachers and staff on disease epidemic.

On the other hand, during student absence schools and universities find their ways
to carry on teaching and learning. Some universities have used blended learning methods.
All of the teachers are trained on how to teach through the network. One of the
universities applying online learning is the National Economics of University. They apply
the new method of learning is blended learning which is a collaboration between
classroom and home on an online platform. They deploy this method for 25000 students
from February 10th, 2020. This method of learning helps students to study effectively
during the absence. Some schools use online learning methods to support students
studying at home. In Hanoi, many primary schools, secondary schools and high schools
applying the method of teaching online by livestreaming to support students to study at
home.

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Step 5: Evaluate Results

 Successes
- The policy has obtained control of the spreading of Covid-19 within education
environment in country scale: successfully prevent the infection of coronavirus in
institutions, protect health of students, teachers and staff
 Greatly contribute to the prevention and protection from the outbreak nationwide.
- At the same time, the policy makes sure school curriculums are followed on
schedule. Applying technology in distant educating which allows students and
teachers to carry on their study programs has solved the problem of study
interruption due to the epidemic.
 Students, teachers and parents are at ease speaking of education issue in the middle
of the concern of the virus.
- The policy pleased worried parents. Since kids are now staying at home, the
possibilities of them getting infected seem to be much less, parents can then go to
work with the reassurance that their children are safe from the outbreak.
 This effect helps create a relief, reassured feeling or positive vibe that is much
needed in the fight with coronavirus in the community.
- Economically considered, the policy minimizes cost for prevention in educational
institutions. A great amount that is supposed to be spent on medical equipment and
medical staff if schools are opened is saved.
 Drawbacks
- Online learning, while is ideal for distant education, has its own difficulties,
resulting in inequality in knowledge base of students.
 Certain students do not have necessary equipment and facilities for online
studying (computer, tablet, smartphone, headphone, Internet access…).
 In other cases, online studying systems have certain errors that prevent some
students from accessing online classes.

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  Teachers need to be first of all trained in order to use the online teaching
systems and students also need time to get used to new technologies, which
could be time-consuming.
 Lack of control from teacher in participation of students in online classes could
result in inequality in terms of getting knowledge. For instance, lazy students
would take this time off from school as a chance to play games, hang out…
instead of study online.
 The merits of online learning are not applied equally to all students. Or in other
words, this method cannot replace classroom education.
- The interruption of education in this time leads to another concerned issue: the
delay of transition exams (ex: university entrance exam). The longer the delay, the
more anxious students are. The interruption of education may also bring obstacles
to their preparation for those exams.
- Extending suspension cannot entirely prevent infection of coronavirus to students.
They still can get infected by interacting with their families, friends, neighbors…
In addition, parents’ concerns are now shifted to leaving their kids at home with no
observation. Some working parents with little children even have to leave their
kids with grandparents or relatives, or even take current time off work to take care
of their children. This definitely affects parents’ working performances as well as
makes them worried.
 Evaluation
The policy of temporarily shutting schools have help ensure students, teachers
and staff’s health. Meanwhile, education is still being carried on by various online
learning methods, attempting to follow school-year schedule. However, there are
certain shortcomings remained. In short, to overall assess this decision, we would say
it did solve the problem, goals are achieved but not totally satisfied.

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