Several changes to Vietnam’s education system have been announced as a draft plan by Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Vinh Hien during his talk with the Voice of Vietnam (VOV).

• The general education system basically remains the same, specifically Primary (5 years), Lower secondary (4 years) and Upper secondary (3 years).
• Upper secondary education will offer three routes for students’ choice, including academic orientation/science, technology/engineering, and gifted based (arts, sports).
• Professional and vocational training will be classified into three levels i.e. primary (o1-3 years), secondary (3 years) and junior college (2-3 years).
• Undergraduate education will be classified into three main orientations i.e. research, application, and practice.
• The length of study at university level will also be adjusted, specifically 3-4 years (instead of 4-6) for Undergraduate; 1-2 years (instead of 2) for Master training; and 3-4 years for Doctorate training given there has been no student finishing the doctorate degree within the current 2-year timeframe.

In order to put the scheme into practice, existing teachers will receive training to be able to cope with the changes, and textbooks will be rewritten, switching from the knowledge-based to focusing on the student’s capabilities and personalities.

According to DPM Hien, the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) will implement the scheme as soon as it is approved by the Government.

The scheme is believed to, once coming into reality, allow articulation across various levels and areas of study in the national education system as well as better align Vietnam’s education systems with other countries’, making it easier for students to transfer to study overseas.

Source: Vietnam News