Vietnam to Streamline School Curriculum, Cut Unnecessary Content: Deputy PM

Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau has instructed the Ministry of Education and Training to comprehensively review the current high school curriculum, cutting unnecessary content and enhancing practical aspects aligned with technological advancements. This move aims to meet the demands of human resource development in a new era. At a meeting on the afternoon of July 8, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau requested the Ministry of Education and Training to quickly conduct a comprehensive review of the entire curriculum to meet the requirements of human resource development in the new context. He also suggested that local authorities proactively allocate budgets and mobilize legal resources to support textbooks, school meals, and learning materials for students, where conditions permit. Alongside curriculum simplification, the Deputy Prime Minister directed innovation in the methods of final examinations and assessments for secondary and high school levels, as well as admission plans, with the aim of reducing pressure on students while ensuring fairness and transparency. He stated that overcoming the "achievement disease" (benh thanh tich - the tendency to prioritize academic accolades over genuine learning) must be identified as a key task for the education sector. The Ministry of Education and Training needs to review the evaluation mechanisms for students, teachers, and schools, as well as the processes for examinations, admissions, emulation, and rewards, to reduce score pressure, prevent fraud and negativity, and avoid the recurrence of unfortunate incidents. The current general education curriculum includes 27 subjects and educational activities. At the primary level, there are 11 compulsory subjects and educational activities, including: Mathematics; Vietnamese Language; Morality; Foreign Language 1 (grades 3, 4, 5); Nature and Society (grades 1, 2, 3); History and Geography (grades 4 and 5); Science (grades 4, 5); Information Technology and Technology (grades 3, 4, 5); Physical Education; Arts (Music, Fine Arts); Experiential Activities. Ethnic Minority Languages and Foreign Language 1 (grades 1, 2) are elective subjects. The lower secondary education curriculum comprises 12 compulsory subjects and educational activities: Literature; Mathematics; Foreign Language 1; Civic Education; History and Geography; Natural Science; Technology; Information Technology; Physical Education; Arts (Music, Fine Arts); Experiential Activities and Career Guidance; Local Education Content. Ethnic Minority Languages and Foreign Language 2 are elective subjects. The upper secondary education curriculum includes 8 compulsory subjects and activities: History; Literature; Mathematics; Foreign Language 1; Physical Education; National Defense and Security Education; Experiential Activities and Career Guidance; Local Education Content. Ethnic Minority Languages and Foreign Language 2 are elective subjects. Additionally, students choose four elective subjects from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Information Technology, Geography, Technology, Economic and Legal Education, Music, and Fine Arts.