Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son comprehensively assessed the results of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Ministry of Education and Training; and shared the proactive and decisive steps taken by the entire sector in implementing strategic tasks right from this pivotal year, aiming to seize opportunities and successfully achieve breakthroughs in the development of education and training.
Many targets of the 13th National Congress Resolution in the field of education and training have been achieved ahead of schedule.
- Minister, could you please elaborate on the significant achievements of the Education and Training sector during the term of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam – a term that took place in a very special context?
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| Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. |
The five-year term implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam is a special period for education and training. This is a period of continued vigorous implementation of fundamental and comprehensive reforms in education and training in accordance with Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW, dated November 4, 2013, of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on fundamental and comprehensive reforms in education and training, along with other major policies and orientations of the Central Committee.
Under the leadership of the Central Party Committee, the National Assembly , and the Government; with the efforts of teachers, administrators, and students; and with the consensus and support of the people and parents, the Education and Training sector has achieved significant results. Many contents of Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW have been effectively implemented, yielding positive results over the past five years.
First, let's talk about the goals of increasing learning opportunities for students. The scale of education continues to expand at all levels, from preschool and primary education to vocational education, higher education, and postgraduate education. The total number of learners in the national education system has now exceeded 24.5 million, not including those participating in advanced learning and lifelong learning programs.
On that scale, the Education and Training sector has strongly promoted the assurance and expansion of access to learning opportunities for the people. We have completed universal education for 5-year-old children, primary and lower secondary education; the literacy rate has reached over 99.5%, which is among the highest compared to many countries in the world. This is an important goal that the Education and Training sector has strived for and achieved.
The proportion of trained and qualified workers has reached approximately 30%. This target was set by the 13th National Congress of the Party and has been largely achieved. In addition, by December 2025, we aim to have around 225 university students per 10,000 people, essentially fulfilling the goal set for the five-year period.
It can be said that, in the process of implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress, the Education and Training sector has basically achieved the set targets regarding access to education.
“Entering 2026, the first year of implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party, the tasks and solutions of Resolution 71-NQ/TW will continue to be concretized through the completion of the system of sub-legal documents, organizing training and guidance to ensure unified implementation as soon as the laws come into effect; at the same time, reorganizing the network of higher education and vocational education institutions as well as the network of preschool and general education institutions associated with reforming the governance and organization of the education system towards a streamlined and efficient direction,” Minister Nguyen Kim Son. |
Over the past five years, reforming general education has been identified as one of the key priorities. The entire education and training sector has completed the implementation of the 2018 General Education Program from grades 1 to 12 according to schedule. Through this implementation process, the goal of shifting from an education system primarily focused on equipping students with knowledge to one that comprehensively develops learners, emphasizing the development of qualities, competencies, and skills, has been fundamentally achieved.
Significant progress has been made in reforming teaching methods, testing, and evaluation; organizing the high school graduation exam; and many other aspects of general education. According to assessments by parliamentary oversight delegations and relevant agencies, the reform of general education has achieved its basic goals and met many of the requirements set forth.
The achievements in general education have left a clear mark on both the quality of mass education and specialized education. For many years, Vietnam has been among the top 10 countries with the best results in Olympiad competitions such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Informatics worldwide. In 2025 alone, all Vietnamese student teams participating in regional and international Olympiads were among the top 10 leading countries in terms of the number of gold medals; in some subjects like Mathematics and Chemistry, the results were even higher. These achievements reflect the comprehensive educational results of the sector over the past five years of implementing Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW and the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party.
Regarding higher education and vocational training, the past five years have seen the strong implementation of the policy of autonomy and the mobilization of social resources, yielding many positive results. The Ministry of Education and Training has advised the Government to issue and implement many important projects aimed at developing human resources for high-tech industries such as semiconductors, AI, and Industry 4.0. The network of higher education institutions has continuously expanded in scale, structure of disciplines, and improved the quality of training; especially in training high-quality human resources and cutting-edge technology and engineering fields to serve national development.
By 2025, fundamental adjustments will be made to the structure of professions with the introduction of hundreds of new training programs in technology and engineering fields. Many fields such as Mathematics and Statistics, Information Technology, Engineering Technology, and Engineering will see strong growth at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Specifically, by December 2025, the number of students studying technology and engineering fields in the STEM group will have reached over 33%. This is a crucial percentage for achieving the goal of providing high-quality human resources to serve the country's development needs in the new era.
Higher education institutions, both public and private, have significantly improved their quality indicators. Many Vietnamese higher education institutions are featured in international rankings, including the top 1,000 and even the top 500 universities in the world and Asia.
Vocational education is increasingly aligned with the needs of businesses and the labor market. Many institutions have gradually invested in infrastructure, and teaching and learning conditions have significantly improved compared to previous periods, gradually participating in regional and global training networks. The quality of training and vocational skills of learners are constantly improving, especially skills needed to train technical workers and skilled craftsmen in the technology sector. These are important achievements of vocational education in the recent period.
Regarding educational infrastructure, over the past five years, facilities serving education from preschool and primary to higher education have continued to receive investment and have been gradually improved. Although the rate of improvement in facilities has not been as desired, compared to the beginning of the term, the percentage of schools with solid structures has increased significantly. Specifically, by December 2025, the percentage of solid school structures in some areas will reach approximately 90% (at the beginning of the term, this rate was over 75%). This result reflects the collective efforts of the entire society in mobilizing and prioritizing resources for education and training, including resources from the State, society, and the people.
Looking back over the past five years, it's impossible not to mention the period when the Education and Training sector had to proactively respond to the serious impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially during 2020-2022, when many educational institutions had to close for extended periods. With the spirit of "school closures but continuous teaching and learning," the entire sector promptly transformed its teaching and learning methods, with online teaching and learning being widely implemented throughout the education and training system, thereby contributing to mitigating the negative impacts of the pandemic.
Simultaneously, the response to the pandemic also created a significant impetus for digital transformation in the education sector. Electronic lecture systems, digital learning materials, open educational resources, and online training methods continued to be developed and expanded, laying the foundation for educational innovation in the next phase.
Another important highlight is digital transformation. The education sector has taken pioneering steps in digital transformation and building a database system for the sector. Since 2022, the high school student database has allowed the registration for the high school graduation exam and university entrance exam to be conducted entirely online on a digital platform. This is an important achievement, contributing to increased transparency, efficiency, and convenience for learners.
Simultaneously, databases on schools, students, and teaching staff have been built. A database of lifelong learning records for students, comprising two components – digital transcripts and digital diplomas – has been deployed and is initially connected to the National Public Service Portal. This connection contributes to simplifying administrative procedures related to diplomas and certificates, thereby saving time and costs for citizens and society. Higher education institutions are also promoting the application of artificial intelligence in teaching, management, and building smart school models.
It can be said that promoting digital transformation, building databases, and initially applying artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning can be seen as bright spots, demonstrating the pioneering role of the education sector in the process of modernizing and improving the quality of education and training.
Focusing on developing the teaching staff – a fundamental and crucial factor in improving the quality of education and training – is a significant achievement of the sector. Over the past five years, the teaching staff has grown in size, structure, and quality. The Politburo, the Secretariat, and the Government have paid attention to and added a large number of personnel to the education sector, ensuring the requirement that "wherever there are students, there are teachers and schools," especially strengthening the teaching staff for preschool and primary education.
Numerous incentive and preferential policies have been enacted, contributing to an increase in the teaching staff and strengthening teachers' commitment to the profession. A positive sign is that in recent years, entrance scores for teacher training institutions have been among the highest. The improved quality of entry into teacher training programs is a very welcome sign, creating an important foundation for improving the quality of the teaching staff and directly impacting the quality of education in the future.
Furthermore, the proportion of lecturers with doctoral degrees in higher education institutions continues to increase. By 2025, this rate is expected to reach over 33%, reflecting positive progress in improving the quality of the teaching staff. Policies and regulations concerning lecturers have also been reviewed, supplemented, and implemented recently.
It can be affirmed that the goals, targets, and requirements set forth in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party, as well as in the five-year socio-economic development plan for the education and training sector, have been basically fulfilled; in particular, some contents have been completed ahead of schedule and achieved positive results.
Start many tasks early, don't wait until after the 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?
Education and training have achieved many important results. However, the country is entering a new stage of development with increasingly high demands on the speed and quality of socio-economic growth, along with new development goals set based on practical realities. With the goal of striving to become a developed country with a high-middle income by 2045, and with Vietnam's education system ranking among the top 20 countries in the world, the development of education and training must be approached with a new intensity, speed, scale, and nature, at a higher level than in the previous period.
In response to this need, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW in August 2025; identifying breakthrough goals for the development of education and training, modernization, and improvement of the quality of education and training to develop well-rounded individuals, provide high-quality human resources, and meet the increasingly demanding requirements of national development. Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW has significant directional implications, creating a foundation for strategic changes in the development of education and training in the coming period. The core contents of the Resolution have been incorporated into the draft documents of the 14th National Congress, serving as a basis for implementation in the next phase.
In 2025, the Education and Training sector proactively implemented new programs, content, and objectives, without waiting until after the Congress, with many tasks starting very early.
Based on the groundbreaking and action-oriented directions of the Politburo and the Central Committee of the Party as expressed in Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW, the Ministry of Education and Training has actively advised the Government and submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and decision important institutional adjustments, creating a legal basis for effectively implementing the goals and tasks of the Resolution in the coming period.
In 2025, the Ministry of Education and Training submitted four important draft laws to the National Assembly for consideration, including: 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).
In addition, the Ministry also advised the Government to submit to the National Assembly for promulgation several important resolutions, including: Resolution on universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 5; Resolution on tuition fee exemption and support for preschool children, primary and secondary school students, and learners in general education programs in educational institutions belonging to the national education system; Resolution on the investment policy for the National Target Program on modernization and improvement of the quality of education and training in the period 2026 - 2035; Resolution on some specific and outstanding mechanisms and policies for breakthrough development of education and training; ...
With the promulgation of the aforementioned laws and resolutions, it can be affirmed that the important goals, requirements, and orientations of Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW have been relatively fully institutionalized. In the immediate future, the Ministry of Education and Training will continue to focus on issuing guiding documents for the implementation of the laws and sub-laws, aiming to ensure that the laws and resolutions are put into practice as soon as possible, creating strong and substantive changes in education and training.
It can be said that, with a focus on perfecting and reforming institutions, 2025 is a particularly important and pivotal year: it both concludes the past five years and opens the next phase of educational reform, creating a foundation for the sustainable development of education and training in the future.
Implementing the Resolution with a new spirit, determination, and high resolve.
According to the Minister, what are the priority tasks and solutions to be implemented in the next term to achieve the strategic breakthrough goals for the development of education and training in accordance with Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW and the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Party?
In the coming period, implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress and Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW will require a great deal of work. The education sector is implementing these measures with a new spirit, determination, and high resolve. The first and most fundamental task is to innovate thinking and awareness regarding education and training. This innovation in thinking and awareness is identified as the crucial initial step, serving as the basis and prerequisite for the comprehensive implementation of subsequent reforms.
Rethinking involves establishing a new understanding of the role, position, responsibilities, and mission of education and training; a full and unified understanding of the leading role and position of the State; the core position of the public education system; and the mobilization, investment, and effective use of resources for education and training. Along with this is a new understanding of autonomy in education; in particular, increasing the comprehensive leadership of the Party organization in educational institutions, especially higher education and vocational training institutions.
Specifically, the Party's guiding role in training, especially in training human resources to meet the country's development requirements, should be increased. The spirit is that the public education system, particularly public universities, needs to focus on effectively carrying out the tasks of training human resources and conducting scientific research to meet the country's needs in the new era.
Furthermore, preparing and mobilizing resources, especially financial resources and infrastructure, is identified as a crucial task. Currently, the education sector is actively implementing the National Assembly's Resolution on the investment policy for the National Target Program on modernization and improvement of the quality of education and training for the period 2026-2035. This National Target Program sets specific goals for equipping and improving infrastructure for all levels of education, from preschool and general education to higher education.
The focus is on modernizing higher education institutions and a number of key vocational education institutions; clearly identifying the beneficiaries of investment. Through increased financial resources, boosted investment from the state budget, and a higher proportion of spending on education and scientific research in educational institutions, it is expected to create a new image for the education system, contributing to a faster development in scale, quality, structure, and status of higher education institutions in the coming period.
Furthermore, with encouragement and favorable mechanisms and policies, non-public educational institutions are actively participating in training in new technological and engineering fields such as semiconductor technology, nuclear energy, transportation, artificial intelligence (AI), and other high-tech fields.
“The entire set of solutions regarding institutions, financial mechanisms, innovation in governance methods, and the organization of the education system, when implemented synchronously, will create substantive breakthroughs, opening up a new acceleration for the development of education and training in the coming period, serving the sustainable development goals of the country,” Minister Nguyen Kim Son. |
It can be affirmed that one of the key tasks for the coming period is to train and provide high-quality human resources in key technology and engineering fields to meet the country's development requirements. At the same time, it is necessary to promote scientific research, technology transfer, and strengthen cooperation with businesses in higher education institutions; thereby creating research products with practical value and making a tangible contribution to socio-economic development in the future.
In line with Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW, the Ministry of Education and Training has included many tasks in its five-year work plan. For preschool education, the sector will focus on completing and implementing the new preschool education program in parallel and synchronously with the implementation of universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 5. The new program is built on the orientation of comprehensive child development, emphasizing physical, health, and skill-based factors, meeting the requirements of childcare and education in the new era.
For general education, the next phase will continue to promote in-depth innovation, building upon the achievements of the 2018 General Education Program. One of the key focuses will be perfecting the equipping of skills and the holistic development of learners; and organizing better training in new subjects such as Fine Arts and Physical Education… to ensure the goal of comprehensive education.
Furthermore, a very important task that the education sector is actively implementing is gradually making English the second language in schools. This is a challenging task, but with high determination, close guidance from the Government, and the coordinated efforts of localities, the education sector is confident that it will gradually implement it effectively, aiming to achieve the goals set for general education in the coming time.
Over the next five years, the education sector will continue to promote digital transformation; build and improve the sector's database system; and develop open and shared learning resources. Simultaneously, developing and implementing a strategy on artificial intelligence (AI), and applying AI in education in a controlled, safe, and effective manner, is a new requirement that opens up many opportunities while also posing numerous challenges.
It can be said that much work remains to be done to gradually improve the quality of education. And in line with the spirit of Resolution 71-NQ/TW on modernization, quality improvement, and ensuring equity in education, the education sector will continue to focus on implementing solutions to ensure equitable access to education, especially for students in disadvantaged areas, ethnic minority regions, border areas, and islands.
In recent times, the Central Party Committee and the Government have paid special attention to the construction of 248 schools in border communes. This is a task that is being actively implemented. It is expected that in 2026, the first 100 schools will be completed and put into use before the start of the new school year; the remaining 148 schools are also under construction and will be completed soon.
With such increased investment in infrastructure, education in border areas, mountainous regions, and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities will certainly undergo significant changes, contributing to narrowing the gap and ensuring equity in access to education in the future.
Thank you, Minister!
Hieu Nguyen
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202601/nganh-giao-duc-va-dao-tao-khoi-dong-som-chu-dong-truc-nguong-chuyen-minh-chien-luoc-90d0d5b/
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