Dialogue on the International Policy and Legal Framework for Teachers

The workshop is a testament to the shared commitment of UNESCO and the Ministry of Education and Training to promoting the role and status of teachers through policy and legal frameworks in Vietnam.

Against the backdrop of Vietnam's efforts to develop a Law on Teachers, the first-ever national consultation workshop, held both in-person and online, on the Policy and Legal Framework for Teachers in the Context of Globalization: International Experiences and Proposals for Vietnam, attracted the attention and contributions of over 150 policymakers, legislators, education administrators, teachers, representatives of education sector trade unions, and more than 10 international organizations, UN organizations, and Vietnamese non- governmental organizations.

Experts from UNESCO Hanoi , UNESCO Headquarters, UNESCO Teacher Development Unit, and representatives of the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 The workshop was chaired by UNESCO, and representatives from Shanghai Normal University and other delegates participated and contributed their expertise.

With the goal of ensuring quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all to guarantee national competitiveness, the well-being and happiness of its people, and global integration, Vietnam has been striving to revise and strengthen policies for teachers through the proposal to enact a Law on Teachers. Currently, the Law on Teachers has been submitted by the Vietnamese Government to the National Assembly for initial consideration and comments at the Eighth Session of the 15th National Assembly (October-November 2024), and is expected to be submitted for approval at the Ninth Session of the 15th National Assembly (June 2025). If approved by the Vietnamese National Assembly, the Law on Teachers is expected to create a legal framework and a favorable environment for teachers to maximize their potential and contribute effectively to the national education reform in this rapidly changing country.

During this process, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) consulted with UNESCO – the United Nations' specialized agency on education – and the UNESCO-led International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 on the global and regional context of the teachers' transformation. The expert consultation documents included relevant international guidelines, research, and experiences in developing policies for teachers from member states and research centers.

Through presentations by UNESCO experts, attendees gained an overview of the role of teachers today: ...In a new social contract of education, the teacher must be placed at the center, and their profession must be re-evaluated and reimagined as a collaborative endeavor, sparking new knowledge, bringing about educational and social transformation [1]

Conference scene

Delegates were also introduced to the Guidelines for Teacher Policy Development, a useful and practical tool for guiding the development and/or review of national policies on teachers by addressing the various components of teacher policy and how these components interact with each other, contributing to the development of evidence-based national teacher policies as an integrated component in the plans or policies of the entire education sector in line with overall national development plans and strategies.

More practical issues faced by teachers worldwide, and in certain countries in particular, are also raised and discussed in the Global Report on Teachers, initiated by UNESCO and the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030. Professor Li Tingzhou of Shanghai Normal University also shared a specific case study regarding China's Law on Teachers.

Each group discussion concluded with a lively debate on the relevance of international experiences to the development of a policy and legal framework for teachers in Vietnam, and proposed solutions and recommendations related to teachers to meet national needs while aligning with global trends, visions, and forecasts.

Discussing the drafting process of the Law on Teachers and soliciting feedback, Mr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff, shared: The Law on Teachers has been meticulously drafted through extensive research and consultation to ensure that it motivates and strengthens all teachers to become qualified, dedicated, responsible, and proficient professionals in this profession, wherever they may be. We highly appreciate such dialogues with domestic and international participants through today's workshop.

Discussing the workshop program, Ms. Miki Nozawa, Head of Education, UNESCO Vietnam, said: "The workshop is a vivid testament to the shared commitment of UNESCO and the Ministry of Education and Training in promoting the role and status of teachers through policy and legal frameworks in Vietnam, a rapidly changing country. This is especially a meaningful activity to celebrate World Teachers' Day (October 5th) and Vietnamese Teachers' Day (November 20th)."

Ms. Valerie Djioze-Gallet, representative of the Teacher Development Unit (UNESCO Headquarters) , said: UNESCO welcomes the Vietnamese Government's top priority agenda of strengthening policies and legislation for teachers and is ready to work with the UNESCO Hanoi Office to continue providing technical support to the country to address challenges such as data- and evidence-based decision-making related to teachers, teacher shortages and professional development...

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[1] The UNESCO report published in 2021 by the International Commission on the Future of Education is entitled "Reimagining Our Future - A New Social Contract for Education"

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