Vietnamese primary school students' learning outcomes are the highest in Southeast Asia.

(NLDO)- Vietnam has 152 primary schools, 152 principals, 1,074 teachers teaching 5th grade subjects, and about 6,000 5th grade students participating in the survey.

The Ministry of Education and Training has just announced a lot of information in the Southeast Asia Primary School Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Program (SEA-PLM) cycle 2024 in the fields of math and reading comprehension.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam participates in the SEA-PLM Program in the 2019 cycle and the 2024 cycle. The SEA-PLM Program in the 2024 cycle has 7 participating countries: Cambodia, Timor Leste, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam.

Grade 5 students in participating countries completed the same reading, writing, and mathematics assessment designed by the ASEAN Ministers of Education (SEAMEO) Secretariat.

In this 2024 cycle, Vietnam has 152 primary education institutions in 53 provinces/cities (old) participating in the survey with 152 primary school principals, 1,074 teachers teaching grade 5 subjects, about 6,000 grade 5 students and 6,000 parents.

According to the published results, in the 2024 cycle, the percentage of Vietnamese students achieving high proficiency in reading comprehension was 66%, higher than the rate of the remaining countries and higher than the regional average (40%). However, there was a decrease compared to the 2019 cycle. Average score (2024): 323.5 points, down 13.0 points compared to the 2019 cycle (336.5 points) . This decrease is equivalent to about 3.86%.

Vietnamese primary school students' learning outcomes are the highest in Southeast Asia. In the photo: Teachers and students of Tran Hung Dao Primary School (Cau Ong Lanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City)

In the field of mathematics, the rate of Vietnamese students achieving high proficiency is 88%, higher than the rate of the remaining countries and higher than the regional average (reaching 36%), but a small decrease compared to 2029. Average score (2024): 334.6 points, down 6.8 points compared to the 2019 cycle (341.4 points) .

At the minimum competency level, Vietnam has the highest rate of students achieving the sustainable development goals in reading (86%) and mathematics (95%) in the 2024 cycle.

According to SEAMEO, many important conclusions can be drawn from the SEA-PLM data for the 2019 and 2024 cycles.

Specifically, only half of students achieved the minimum level of proficiency in reading comprehension and only one-third of students achieved it in mathematics, demonstrating the urgent need to increase investment in foundational learning, prioritizing disadvantaged groups and disadvantaged schools.

Learning outcomes have remained stable despite the shocks of 2019, but forward-looking action and investment in the education system are needed. Lower ability students are making slow progress, requiring targeted intervention strategies and accelerated support to close the gap. Learning barriers remain, affecting the outcomes of boys and girls differently, and the education system needs to be built to ensure equal opportunity.

Socioeconomic conditions still have a significant impact on student outcomes. Early learning opportunities and school resources have a greater impact on student outcomes. Students achieve better when the home language matches the language used in the assessment. Teacher qualifications have improved but pedagogical competence remains lacking.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training of Vietnam Pham Ngoc Thuong highly appreciated the value of the data set and report of the SEA-PLM Program for the 2024 cycle. "The data set and report on program results are really important and meaningful for Vietnam as well as other countries in building and organizing the implementation of strategies and policies for educational development in the coming time," Mr. Thuong emphasized.

According to the Deputy Minister of Education and Training, Vietnam is entering a new era of development with requirements for deep integration, innovation and comprehensive digital transformation. Vietnam's education and training is prioritized for development with strategic orientations and breakthrough solutions to improve the quality and equity of education. The positive results and good experiences achieved during the process of participating in regional and international assessment programs will be applied by the Ministry of Education and Training to implement innovative solutions for teaching and student assessment activities to improve the quality of education and international integration.

According to SEAMEO, investment in education is on a downward trend while the golden population opportunity – the period when the labor force accounts for a high proportion – is gradually coming to an end. Therefore, the education system needs to improve equity and efficiency, ensure that all learners have access to quality education, and optimize the use of resources to maintain sustainable growth.

The use of data for decision-making is limited, and there is a need to improve progress monitoring, scale up effective practices, and promote evidence-based policymaking.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/sea-plm-2024-hoc-sinh-tieu-hoc-viet-nam-tiep-tuc-dan-dau-dong-nam-a-196251205083756137.htm