Vietnam reported an increase in average schooling years from nine to 9.6 between 2019 and 2024, according to the 2024 midterm Population and Housing Survey released by the General Statistics Office on January 6.
The survey will serve as a foundation for assessing the 2021-2025 socio-economic development period, shaping 2026-2030 policies, and monitoring Vietnam’s commitment to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
Data showed that men averaged 0.7 more years of schooling than women, and urban residents surpassed rural ones by 2.5 years. The primary school attendance rate remained at 98.7%, while rates for lower secondary and upper secondary education were 95.6% and 79.9%, respectively.
According to the GSO, graduation rates for upper secondary education improved, with 40% of individuals aged 15 and older completing this level in 2024 compared to 25% in 2014.
However, only 26% of the population had technical or vocational qualifications, indicating slow progress in workforce skill enhancement as Vietnam prepares to conclude its demographic dividend by 2038.
In the 2024-2025 academic year, Vietnam had about 25 million learners, with 23 million in preschool and general education. The education sector employed over 1.6 million staff across nearly 54,000 schools. Tuition fees ranged from VND8,000 to VND220,000 (0.3 U.S. cent-$9.2) per month, and five-year-old preschoolers were exempted for the first time. (VnExpress)