Creating a breakthrough in basic and comprehensive education and training reform

Today, students, teachers, education managers and people of the whole country jubilantly enter the new 2019 – 2020 school year. This is a school year in which the education sector will continue to carry out fundamental and comprehensive reform and is also the last year to implement the strategic goals of educational development for the 2011 - 2020 period.

The education sector continues to carry out fundamental and comprehensive reform.
The education sector continues to carry out fundamental and comprehensive reform.

The 2018-2019 school year marked the five year-implementation of Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee’s 11th tenure on fundamental and comprehensive education and training renovation to meet requirements for industrialisation and modernisation in the context of the socialist-oriented market economy and international integration. The Party, State, relevant sectors and authorities at all levels continue to devote adequate investment to education and training.

In addition, the system of mechanisms and policies has been gradually improved to solve difficulties and create a legal corridor for education and training reform activities. Preschool education has witnessed many positive changes, with 99.8% of schools applying “child-centred” methods in educational activities. In the past year, all 38 Vietnamese students taking part in Asian and international Olympiads secured prizes. For the first time, Vietnam has two universities ranked in the list of the top 1,000 universities in the world, seven universities have been listed in the top universities in Asia.

However, the educational sector is also facing many challenges in both the immediate and the long term, such as the shortage of schools and teachers. Many localities have not paid enough attention to reserve land to build schools, especially preschools in economic zones, industrial parks and export processing zones.

There are still many shortcomings in the training of human resources for the educational sector, vocational training, and the education of ethics and life skills for students. Meanwhile, onerously academic and impractical curricula, coupled with an unreasonable teaching programme, have still put a heavy burden on students, forcing them to take private tutoring classes.

It can be said that education should take the lead in developing the country. Fundamental reform inevitably leads to comprehensive reform, from educational methods at all levels to educational policies, mechanisms, implementation conditions, State management and engagement of families and the community in the reform scheme.

More attention should be paid to improving the capacity of teaching staff, renovating teaching methods, and upgrading education facilities. It is also necessary to renovate training for teaching staff, at the very first step, renovating admission for pedagogical students. To attract talents’ participation in the sector, the State should define accurately the requirements for teachers at all levels and ensure employment for pedagogical students after their graduation. In addition, there should be close connection between educational facilities with labour-use units to help link education with practical demand.

Entering the new 2019 – 2020 school year with both achievements and difficulties, the Party, the State and the education sector continue to exert efforts in implementing the basic and comprehensive education and training reform. Pupils and students across the country should continue to uphold the country’s traditional fondness for study to achieve higher academic achievements. It is necessary to mobilise all resources from society to contribute to education, contributing the cause of national construction and development.