Educational reform - from mass production to improving the quality of "genuine learning"
Mr. Minister, the 13th National Congress took place amidst many difficulties and challenges, yet the education and training sector still achieved remarkable results. Could you summarize the most outstanding achievements?
- The 2021-2025 term is a special period for education and training. This is a time when the education sector continues to implement fundamental and comprehensive reforms in accordance with Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW, while simultaneously responding to the profound and prolonged impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, under the leadership of the Party, the National Assembly , the Government, and with the consensus and support of the entire society, the education sector has achieved many important results, including completing some goals ahead of schedule as required by the Resolution of the 13th National Congress.
First and foremost is the achievement in expanding access to education. The scale of education continues to expand at all levels. Currently, the total number of learners in the national education system has exceeded 24.5 million. Vietnam has firmly maintained the results of universal preschool education for 5-year-old children, universal primary and lower secondary education; the literacy rate has reached over 99.5%. These figures reflect the tremendous efforts in ensuring the right to education for the people, and show that education continues to be a priority in social development.
Alongside this, the quality of human resources has been gradually improved. The percentage of trained workers with diplomas and certificates has reached approximately 30%, basically fulfilling the target set by the Resolution of the 13th National Congress. The scale of higher education is expected to reach about 225 students per 10,000 people by the end of 2025, creating an important foundation for preparing human resources to serve the country's development in the coming period.
These results show that, during the past term, the goals of expanding the scale and accessibility of education have been implemented quite synchronously. This is an important prerequisite for the education sector to shift its focus to improving the quality of education in a more substantive and sustainable way.
Reforming general education was a major focus during the past term. How does the Minister assess the results of this process?
- Over the past five years, reforming general education has been identified as one of the overarching tasks of the entire sector. We have successfully implemented the 2018 General Education Program from grades 1 to 12 on schedule, marking a significant shift in educational thinking. The goal of moving from an education system primarily focused on knowledge transmission to one that comprehensively develops students' qualities, competencies, and skills has been gradually realized. Innovations in teaching methods, testing, and evaluation have been implemented more synchronously; the proactive role of learners has been progressively emphasized. The high school graduation exam has been organized stably, seriously, and objectively, while simultaneously reducing unnecessary pressure on students, parents, and society.
The quality of general education continues to be affirmed in both mass education and specialized education. For many consecutive years, Vietnam has been among the top 10 countries with high achievements at international Olympiads. In 2025 alone, Vietnamese student teams participating in international Olympiads achieved high rankings, winning many gold medals. This is clear evidence of the effectiveness of the reform of general education in the past term.
Completing the legal framework and developing human resources to meet the requirements of the 14th National Congress.
In light of the achievements of the past five years, how does the Minister assess the impact of the education sector in 2025, the "pivotal" year between two Party Congress terms?
- The year 2025 is of particular importance. It is the year that both summarizes the five-year implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and lays the foundation for deploying new directions for the development of education and training in the next phase, in conjunction with the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party.
A very important milestone in 2025 is the issuance of Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW by the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development. This resolution clearly defines the goal of modernizing and improving the quality of education and training, developing well-rounded individuals, and providing high-quality human resources to meet the increasingly demanding requirements of national development. This resolution is a strategic orientation, creating an important political basis for major, fundamental changes in the development of education and training in the coming period.
In 2025, the education sector proactively implemented many tasks in accordance with the spirit of Resolution 71-NQ/TW, without waiting until after the Congress. The Ministry of Education and Training advised the Government to submit four important draft laws to the National Assembly for consideration: the Law on Teachers; the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Education; the Law on Higher Education (amended); and the Law on Vocational Education (amended). At the same time, many important resolutions on universal preschool education, tuition fee exemption and support, and the National Target Program for Education Modernization giai đoạn 2026 - 2035 were also issued.
It can be affirmed that the major orientations of Resolution 71-NQ/TW have been quite fully institutionalized, creating an important legal framework for education and training to enter a new stage of development.
Minister, what are the most practical tasks and solutions to improve the quality of education in the coming term?
First and foremost, we need to innovate our thinking and perceptions about education and training, considering this as the foundation for all reforms. Institutions need to be continuously improved to facilitate the enhancement of teaching and learning quality, the efficient use of resources, and the assurance of equity in access to education.
Simultaneously, preparations and resource mobilization are underway, particularly through the National Target Program for Modernizing and Improving the Quality of Education and Training for the period 2026-2035. The focus is on modernizing key higher education and vocational training institutions; and improving teaching and learning conditions in disadvantaged areas, border regions, and islands.
For preschool and general education, the sector will continue to innovate in depth, focusing on substantive quality, reducing formality, and increasing effectiveness. Gradually making English the second language in schools, promoting digital transformation, and applying artificial intelligence in education in a safe and controlled manner are important tasks.
Besides improving quality, the education sector continues to pay special attention to ensuring equity in education. The investment in building 248 schools in border communes is a concrete example, clearly demonstrating the determination to narrow the gap and ensure that all children have the opportunity to study in increasingly better conditions.
It can be affirmed that, when institutional, resource, and governance solutions are implemented synchronously, Vietnamese education and training will create substantive breakthroughs, directly contributing to the country's rapid and sustainable development goals in the new era.
Thank you very much, Minister!
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/dot-pha-the-che-de-nang-cao-chat-luong-giao-duc-trong-ky-nguyen-moi.html
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