Vietnam Mourns Passing of Professor Pham Minh Hac, Architect of Education Reform

Professor Pham Minh Hac, a distinguished figure in Vietnamese education and former Minister of Education, passed away at the age of 91 on July 31, 2026, at a hospital in Hanoi. Professor Hac is widely remembered as an ideological leader during Vietnam's "Doi Moi" (Renovation) education reforms and for his significant contributions to building an education system based on scientific approaches. Born in Thanh Tri district, Hanoi, Professor Hac earned a doctorate in Psychology in the Soviet Union before returning to Vietnam to begin his career at the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Education and Director of the Institute in 1985, and served as Minister of Education from 1987 to 1990. During his tenure as minister, he advocated for a renewal of "tu duy giao duc" (educational thinking), transforming education from a mere knowledge-transfer system to one that serves individual holistic development and the needs of socio-economic growth. He particularly emphasized the concurrent delivery of knowledge with the cultivation of morality, character, critical thinking skills, and life skills. Amidst limited budgets at the time, Professor Hac supported the mobilization of societal resources for education, which later became a significant policy for Vietnam's education sector. Furthermore, from 1989 to 2000, as Chairman of the National Committee for Illiteracy Eradication and Primary Education Universalization, he led a 10-year plan to achieve the goal of "Education for All." This initiative enabled many children to attend school and contributed to a dramatic improvement in literacy rates. The Law on Primary Education Universalization was passed by the National Assembly in 1991, and on December 26, 2000, Vietnam announced the achievement of primary education universalization. Additionally, for nearly 30 years, he served as Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Psychology and Education Sciences, spearheading its establishment and creating a national forum for psychologists, educators, and educational administrators. Professor Hac's achievements extended beyond individual reforms, contributing to a shift in educational management thinking, an emphasis on human capital development, and the advancement of educational science. His life and career are closely intertwined with the transformation of Vietnamese education during the Doi Moi period, and his legacy is expected to be carried forward by future generations of educators. Source: Nhan Dan