Global InformationEducation in Vietnam information
| Ministry of Education and Training | |
|---|---|
| Minister | Nguyễn Kim Sơn |
| National education budget (2020) | |
| Budget | Est. 4.1% of GDP[1] |
| General details | |
| Primary languages | Vietnamese |
| System type | Public, private |
| Literacy (2019) | |
| Total | 95.8%[1] |
| Male | 97%[1] |
| Female | 94.6%[1] |
| Primary | 8.5 million[2] |
| Secondary | 5.45 million[2] |
| Post secondary | 2,563,431[2] |
| Attainment (2014) | |
| Secondary diploma | 94%[4] |
| Post-secondary diploma | 441,800[3] |
Education in Vietnam is a state-run system of public and private education run by the Ministry of Education and Training. It is divided into five levels: preschool, primary school, secondary school, high school, and higher education. Formal education consists of twelve years of basic education. Basic education consists of five years of primary education, four years of secondary education, and three years of high school education. The majority of basic education students are enrolled on a daily basis. The main goals are general knowledge improvement, human resources training and talent development.[5]
Vietnam has undergone major political upheaval and social inequality throughout its recent history and is attempting to modernise. Historically, education in Vietnam followed the Chinese Confucian model, using Chữ Hán (for the Vietnamese language and for Chinese) as the main mode of literature and governance. This system promoted those who were talented enough to be mandarins or royal courtiers in Vietnam and China. This system was then completely overhauled and replaced by a French model system during French colonial times,[6] which has since been replaced and overhauled again during the formation of independent Vietnam and the creation of Chữ Quốc Ngữ alphabet in the 1920s.[6]
Vietnam is known for its curriculum that is deemed highly competitive. High school education is one of the most significant social issues in the country: designated schools known as "High Schools for the Gifted" (Trường Trung học phổ thông chuyên) offer additional extensive courses, are generally regarded as prestigious, and demand high entrance examination test scores. Higher education is seen as fundamental in Vietnam. Entrance to university is determined through the National High School Examination (THPTQG) test. The higher the entrance test score, the more highly regarded the institution will be.
Currently experiencing a high GDP growth rate, Vietnam is attempting to expand its education system. In 2012, estimated national budget for education was 6.3%.[1] In the last decade, Vietnamese public reception of the country's education system has been mixed due to its inflexible nature and its tests. Citizens have been critical of the curriculum, which has led to social issues including depression, anxiety, and increasing suicide rates.[7] There have been comments from the public that schools should opt for a more flexible studying program, with less emphasis on tests and more focus on developing life skills.[8] In response to public opinion, the Ministry of Education and Training has implemented a number of education reforms.[9][10][11] Tertiary enrollment rates were only 3% in 1995 but increased to around 30% by 2019.[12] Regardless, more work is needed to be done to improve education at all levels, from pre-primary, to primary, to secondary, to post-secondary.[13][14][15][16]
- ^ a b c d e "The World Factbook: Vietnam". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ a b c "Số liệu thống kê giáo dục Việt Nam 2019" [Education statistics in Vietnam 2019] (in Vietnamese). General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
- ^ "Số liệu thống kê giáo dục đại học, cao đẳng" [Education statistics for higher education (university, college) in Vietnam] (in Vietnamese). General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ "Số liệu thống kê tốt nghiệp THPT theo địa phương" [Secondary graduation statistics by provinces] (in Vietnamese). General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ^ "World Data on Education. 7th Ed" (PDF). UNESCO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
- ^ a b Nguyen, Van Hien; Nguyen, Vu Bich Hien; Vu, Thi Mai Huong; Hoang, Thi Kim Hue; Nguyen, Thi Minh Nguyet (2020-07-02). "Vietnamese Education System and Teacher Training: Focusing on Science Education". Asia-Pacific Science Education. 6 (1): 179–206. doi:10.1163/23641177-BJA10001.
- ^ Hoang, Lien (1 November 2013). "Ending Vietnam's 'Suicide Season'". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ^ "Suicide cases show Vietnamese students lack life skills". Lao Động (via Vietnamnet). 27 March 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ^ Linh, Thuy (11 November 2015). "Vietnam's ambitious education reform plans come in for praise". Thanh Niên. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ^ Tran, Van Hoa (21 April 2016). "Grading Vietnam's higher education reforms". East Asia Forum. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ^ Vinh Quoc, Le (10 September 2015). "Rối bời đổi mới giáo dục" [Education reform in limbo]. Người lao động (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ^ "School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) - Vietnam | Data". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
- ^ "Tertiary Education". World Bank. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ^ "Home". www.oecd-ilibrary.org. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ^ "Transforming higher education in Vietnam". University World News. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
- ^ Parajuli, Dilip; Vo, Dung. "Improving The Performance Of Higher Education In Vietnam" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-10-27.