Uneven Progress of Education in Vietnam

Vietnam’s education system has progressed dramatically over the years, as demonstrated by the current adult literacy rate of 90%. Student-to-teacher ratio in primary education (elementary school) decreased from approximately 39-to-1 to 25-to-1 in 2006, while secondary education remained unchanged at 25-to-1, according to UNICEF. Today, more students continue to post-secondary education after completing five years of compulsory primary education, four years of intermediate education (middle school) and three years of secondary education (high school). Academic partnerships and aid from the private sector further enhance students’ college experiences, but these opportunities benefit only a small minority of the student population.

Academic partnerships, which provide some degree of access to the international academic community, started in the 1990’s and offer from certificates to graduate programs. For example, a recent accord between Delaware State University (DSU) and officials of Vietnam National University (VNU) will establish a DSU Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree Program in Vietnam. The accord allows DSU faculty members to conduct courses in an accelerated format in Vietnam, and courses will be taught both in classrooms and online. The goal of this program is to expand Vietnam’s sector of middle and senior management professionals, as well as strengthen the global presence of DSU’s academic and research partnerships in higher education. A summary of other existing academic partnerships is available at the Institute of International Education.

In addition to academic partnerships, private sector aid via scholarships and education loans will aim to increase the number of students attending college. Since recognizing Vietnam as one of its key markets, United Overseas Bank (UOB) has partnered with VNU to form an interest-free student loan program for Vietnamese undergraduates beginning in January 2010. The program will be administered by VNU, although the qualifications for a loan are still being discussed by the two institutions. The bank believes that providing loans instead of scholarships will benefit more students as repaid loans can be rolled out to new applicants. Furthermore, the process of borrowing and repaying will foster a sense of responsibility and self-reliance among the students. The bank is the first of its kind to provide such a loan program.

While these partnerships and aid provide incomparable opportunities to college students, primary through secondary education has not seen such progress, and access to these opportunities remain restricted to a small minority of the student population. Although enrollment is at 98% and completion at 102% in primary education, enrollment drops to 80% in intermediate education and to a staggering 47% in secondary education. Only 5.2% of those enrolled in secondary education eventually continue to vocational and technical education. The cost of tuition, books and uniforms and the need to supplement family income account for the decline in enrollment, particularly in rural areas, according to GlobalSecurity.org. In addition, lowering enrollment due to quota restrictions prevent some from simply pursuing a post-secondary education.

With such a young population, where 23.4% of the population is between 6 and 17 years old, Vietnam is full of potential. But to realize the potential, it is necessary to invest more vigorously in Vietnam’s education system. In addition to providing new opportunities to college students, it is imperative that primary and secondary education prepare students for college and that there is adequate space for students who would like to pursue higher education. As competition becomes increasingly global, Vietnam’s education system needs to reflect that changing dynamic so that students are prepared to compete both domestically and internationally.