Vietnam Education Sector Pushes 'Super Schools,' Border Boarding Schools, Unified Textbooks, and Real Evaluation for New Academic Year

As Vietnam's education sector gears up for the new academic year, it is embarking on several significant reforms aimed at enhancing educational quality and ensuring fairness. Key among these are the restructuring of management for consolidated "super schools," the expansion of boarding schools in border areas, the introduction of a unified national textbook, and the promotion of "real learning and evaluation." Firstly, nearly 19,000 public schools nationwide have been merged, creating large "super schools" that combine two to seven former institutions. This consolidation places a single principal in charge of multiple campuses. The Ministry of Education and Training is urging a shift from traditional management to a system-wide governance approach, where principals delegate authority to vice-principals and departmental heads. Data-driven decision-making and results-oriented operations are deemed essential for improving the overall quality of the education system. Secondly, 100 boarding schools are set to be inaugurated in border areas by July 2025. This is a major national project designed to boost socio-economic development, raise the intellectual standards of the populace, cultivate ethnic minority cadres, and strengthen national defense and security. These schools will feature extensive facilities and modern infrastructure, with students receiving substantial support, including allowances for food, learning materials, and uniforms. This initiative is expected to help bridge educational disparities across regions. Regarding textbooks, a review of the multi-textbook system, in place since 2014, is underway. The Ministry of Education and Training has decided to adopt a single, unified textbook titled "Connecting Knowledge with Life" starting from the 2026-2027 academic year. This is anticipated to reduce administrative burdens and costs associated with textbook selection, allowing students and teachers to focus more on the learning content. Plans are also in motion to potentially offer free textbooks nationwide by 2029. Furthermore, in response to recent high school graduation exam irregularities, the education sector is strongly emphasizing the establishment of "real learning and evaluation." This includes significantly reducing the number of formal examinations and award ceremonies for teachers, thereby freeing up their time for lesson preparation and individualized student guidance. A phased introduction of computer-based graduation examinations is also planned from 2026 to 2036, aiming to automate the testing process and minimize human subjectivity. These reforms are indicative of Vietnam's efforts to address structural challenges within its education system, characteristic of its one-party governance, with centralized policy-making and directives to local levels. The strong national drive for educational advancement, fueled by economic growth, and the goal of ensuring educational equity are underpinning these reformative measures. Source: VnExpress