Removing the 'three bottlenecks' for education and training.

According to Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc, there are three main "bottlenecks" that need to be addressed to reduce the disparity in quality and learning conditions between regions.

Identifying the bottlenecks

Resolution 71/NQ-TW of the Politburo affirms that education and training is not only a top national priority, but also a decisive factor in the future and destiny of the nation. In recent years, the education and training sector has achieved many important accomplishments.

However, Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc, PhD, from the University of Technology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi ), noted that the disparity in quality and learning conditions between regions, especially between urban and rural, mountainous, and remote areas, remains significant. According to him, there are three main "bottlenecks" that need to be addressed.

Firstly, educational infrastructure is uneven: many localities lack standard schools and classrooms, have dilapidated facilities, outdated teaching equipment, and limited access to information technology.

Secondly, the distribution of teaching resources is uneven: excellent, experienced teachers are mainly concentrated in large urban areas, while disadvantaged regions lack teachers in both quantity and quality, directly affecting students' learning opportunities.

Thirdly, investment policies and support mechanisms are fragmented: we lack a comprehensive and sustainable strategy to ensure that all students, regardless of location, have access to equivalent quality education.

Therefore, a breakthrough is needed in investing in digital infrastructure and teacher training, strengthening the application of technology and flexible education models. For example, connected classrooms, open learning materials, shared online platforms, and policies to attract and retain teachers in disadvantaged areas. Only then will education become a "top national priority" and quickly narrow the gap in educational quality between regions.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Duc - University of Technology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi). Photo: Internet.

Three fundamental changes need to be prioritized.

Regarding the mechanisms for utilizing, evaluating, and rewarding the intellectual workforce, Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc proposed three fundamental changes that should be prioritized:

Firstly, reform the mechanism for selecting and utilizing talent: A healthy and transparent competitive environment should be created, prioritizing competence and work efficiency as core criteria, rather than seniority or administrative experience. Talented individuals should be given significant responsibilities, have commensurate autonomy, and be evaluated based on concrete outputs.

Secondly, reform the compensation policy to link income with creative value and actual contributions. Talented individuals must receive commensurate salaries, bonuses, working conditions, and development opportunities – we cannot allow a situation where "talented people live by their passion, while ordinary people live by the system."

Third, we need to build an open academic environment that encourages creativity and values ​​individuality. Educators and scientists need to be protected in their academic freedom, encouraged to engage in research and innovation, instead of being constrained by administrative procedures or a "safety" mentality.

Only by shifting from "declaring appreciation" to "applying and utilizing talent" through institutions and mechanisms that genuinely value and reward talent, can the full potential of the intellectual workforce be unleashed and truly become a driving force for innovation and a pillar of the nation.

Affirming that university autonomy is an inevitable trend, Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc emphasized that only when universities are truly empowered can they foster creativity, mobilize social resources, and improve the quality of training and research.

Autonomy does not mean "absolute freedom".

Students attending the VUTM Open Day 2026.

However, autonomy does not mean "absolute freedom," but must go hand in hand with accountability, transparency, and independent auditing. To avoid a situation of "lack of control," Vietnam needs to build a multi-tiered monitoring model, combining internal self-monitoring, independent external auditing, and social oversight.

Specifically: Firstly, each university must establish a modern internal governance system, publicly disclosing indicators related to finance, resources, training quality, scientific research, international cooperation, and graduate employment. In this case, transparency becomes the first and most effective form of oversight.

Secondly, it is necessary to strengthen and promote independent, non-administrative quality accreditation centers with sufficient capacity, credibility, and practical authority to objectively evaluate all educational institutions, including public universities. Accreditation results must be publicly disclosed and linked to mechanisms for budget allocation, ranking, and student admissions.

Third, establish mechanisms for social oversight and academic critique, in which students, employers, professional associations, and the scientific community all have a voice in evaluating the quality of higher education.

According to Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc, when data-driven governance, transparency, and accountability become part of the culture, autonomy is not about "letting things drift," but about empowering people to truly improve quality – in line with the spirit that the Party and State have guided in the reform of higher education.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/thao-go-3-diem-nghen-cho-giao-duc-va-dao-tao-post765461.html