Vietnam PM Asks for Comprehensive Restructuring of National Education

Vietnamese Prime Minister Dung has called for a comprehensive restructuring of the national education system to make it more regionally competitive by 2030, local media reported. The government chief made the request during a meeting of the National Committee on Education and Human Resources Development 2011-2015, held at the Government Office on July 24. During the event, participants discussed a series of measures to improve the quality of the country’s educational system and the draft project on changing education and training, which will be submitted to the Party Central Committee for approval soon. PM Dung required the draft project to evaluate the education-training sector’s achievements and contributions to the country’s socio-economic development and identify the current shortcomings of the system. Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan stressed the importance of changing the exam system and ensuring the assessment procedures are fair and accurate. Vietnam’s education sector remains quite problematic due to a lack of proper development policy, educators said, citing problems related to the quantity and quality of the teaching staff, facilities, textbooks and curriculum. Despite the fast expansion and rapid growth in the numbers of universities and colleges, the quality of education in Vietnam does meet the demand. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi July 25 p1, Nhan Dan – The People July 25 p3, Thoi Bao Kinh Te Vietnam – Vietnam Economic Times July 25 p4)